Sun Spots by AKiwiSilkie!
Congratulations!
This talented artisan is also known as HowlingCaterpillars! Read her member interview from a previous post!
Member Interview #4
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Here Comes the Sun Challenge!
The sun is and has been many things to many people. Summer Solstice was quickly approaching, the days are longer, the sunshine is warm and inviting.
East members were challenged to create an item that was their interpretation of this theme. Be as literal as representing the celestial body or reflective of this time of growth and renewal.
Most of our team was out playing in the sun! The following 2 entries are here for your viewing pleasure! Please vote for your favorite! Return next week after the pool closes to see who won!
Entry 1
Sun Spots by AKiwiSilkie
This is a 7 Inch Dream Web, and he hangs 23 and a half inches from his hanging loop to the tip of his longest feather.
Dark spots, some as large as 50,000 miles in diameter, move across the surface of the sun, contracting and expanding as they go. These strange and powerful phenomena are known as sunspots.
Sunspot activity cycles about every eleven years. The point of highest sunspot activity during this cycle is known as Solar Maximum, and the point of lowest activity is Solar Minimum. Early in the cycle, sunspots appear in the higher latitudes and then move towards the equator as the cycle approaches maximum.
It's made from a Brass Ring, Cotton Batik fabric, Wooden Beads, Fake Sinew, and Natural and Dyed Turkey Feathers. The Focal bead is a Antiqued Brass Pendant from the Global Nomad Collection from Blue Moon Beads. It's about 2 and 1/4 Inches by 1 Inch and the indents in it are filled with a glittery resin and an 8MM Amber Colored Rhinestone.
The Bright Watermelon and Sunny Yellow feathers bring out these colors in the batik fabric.
Entry 2
Primary Practice Pentagon by Cobaltquilter
The bright yellows, oranges, and reds dotted with a variety of blue appear like a sun star with sky peaking through!
A series of borders in different widths arranged asymmetrically balance the unexpected order of the tie-dye 'print'.
Machine quilted following the color burst in the center with free motion sunburst motifs in the borders on my domestic sewing machine.
This large lap/crib quilt measures approximately 60 inches across point to point, with 36 inch sides.
East members were challenged to create an item that was their interpretation of this theme. Be as literal as representing the celestial body or reflective of this time of growth and renewal.
Most of our team was out playing in the sun! The following 2 entries are here for your viewing pleasure! Please vote for your favorite! Return next week after the pool closes to see who won!
Entry 1
Sun Spots by AKiwiSilkie
This is a 7 Inch Dream Web, and he hangs 23 and a half inches from his hanging loop to the tip of his longest feather.Dark spots, some as large as 50,000 miles in diameter, move across the surface of the sun, contracting and expanding as they go. These strange and powerful phenomena are known as sunspots.
Sunspot activity cycles about every eleven years. The point of highest sunspot activity during this cycle is known as Solar Maximum, and the point of lowest activity is Solar Minimum. Early in the cycle, sunspots appear in the higher latitudes and then move towards the equator as the cycle approaches maximum.
It's made from a Brass Ring, Cotton Batik fabric, Wooden Beads, Fake Sinew, and Natural and Dyed Turkey Feathers. The Focal bead is a Antiqued Brass Pendant from the Global Nomad Collection from Blue Moon Beads. It's about 2 and 1/4 Inches by 1 Inch and the indents in it are filled with a glittery resin and an 8MM Amber Colored Rhinestone.
The Bright Watermelon and Sunny Yellow feathers bring out these colors in the batik fabric.
Entry 2
Primary Practice Pentagon by Cobaltquilter
The bright yellows, oranges, and reds dotted with a variety of blue appear like a sun star with sky peaking through!A series of borders in different widths arranged asymmetrically balance the unexpected order of the tie-dye 'print'.
Machine quilted following the color burst in the center with free motion sunburst motifs in the borders on my domestic sewing machine.
This large lap/crib quilt measures approximately 60 inches across point to point, with 36 inch sides.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
EAST Member interview #4!
Meet Brenda! Visit her Etsy Shop to see her amazing creations!
1] Name:
Brenda Mihalopoulos
2] Shop name and link:
Howling Caterpillars http://www.etsy.com/shop/howlingcaterpillars
3] Inspiration for shop name:
It’s my son’s fault. We were having an outbreak of tent caterpillars when he was little…He’d see them scrunching along, then they’d lift their heads up into the air and he thought they were howling…
4] Location and any impact on your work:
I live in Massachusetts, sorta half way between Boston and Plymouth. I think that it really hasn’t had any impact on my art work, though.
5] Preferred medium(s):
Mostly fabric…I use scrap booking buttons usually, some gemstones, feathers, almost the time; for my DreamWebs. My other goodies, it varies.
6] Brief personal history:
Born and raised in the Bay State, probably die here too…not a big traveller; my only out of country trip was to Canada in 68. Visited a few states: California, Florida, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maryland and Maine.
I always was interested in “old stuff” like dinosaurs and I could read heiroglyphics when I was little. I wanted to be an archaeologist growing up, but my grandmother said it wasn’t for girls and that I should get a degree I could “use”. So I have a wasted Accounting degree…It never interested me enough to do anything with it, but I loved the 12 column worksheets and how to make everything balance.
I have a twin sister, who’s five minutes older than me. In China, *I* would be considered the older one because I was polite enough to let her go out first.
I’m married to a Greek Orthodox guy who’s 17 years older than me. I have one son who’s now 16 and lucky he’s lived this long…and am owned by Obelisk the Tormentor, a 6 year old Leghorn hen.
I work for a chain pet store, cleaning the small and fuzzys which I happen to be allergic to. But I love animals and take my allergy/asthma meds…
My sister and I were both premies, weighing 2 pounds when we were born. I’ve had two corrective surgeries on my heart and she was treated for clubfoot. But we’re both healthy now.
7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:
My great grandmother (we lived in a four generation house) was always knitting or crocheting or making dolls. I still have some of the dolls she made. Can’t knit or crochet to save my life though, must be a left-handed thing.
I was always drawing and sketching stuff, so I’ve always been an “arty” person.
My Aunt was going the flea market circuit in the Southwest and was making Dream Catchers. She taught me and I made them my own by using fabrics and crafting thread instead of the sinew and leather. I don’t call them Dream Catchers because they’re not the traditional ones.
As for being sucked into Etsy, it was a chicken person named Terrie Lacy who was selling her potholders there and I joined to see if anyone would be interested in my creations too.
8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:
My inspiration can be anything. It can be an interesting fat quarter or remnant, then I run around Joann’s like Mike the Headless Chicken looking for scrap booking buttons or beads to match. Some inspiration comes from being a Pagan, like my Gods Inspiration series of DreamWebs and my Tshirt designs.
9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:
I’ve tried jewelry making, polymer clay, candle making, soap making, but I’ll stick with my mainstays of DreamWebs and Tshirts.
I want to finish my line of Poppets. I have desert, glacier, ocean, mountain to do…
I’m also thinking of starting up another store for my “craft” stuff, like the Altars-in-a-jar, and the Feathery Blessings line…I already have a name in mind “The Kiwi Silkie”…
10] Any additional information you would like to share:
Nope…hehehe Except for the fact that I have a wicked sense of humour…And I’m a fiction writer, nothing published yet, but I do have some excerpts from my past two NaNoWriMos on my blog… http://spottedcrow.blogspot.com/
Brenda Mihalopoulos
2] Shop name and link:
Howling Caterpillars http://www.etsy.com/shop/howlingcaterpillars
3] Inspiration for shop name:
It’s my son’s fault. We were having an outbreak of tent caterpillars when he was little…He’d see them scrunching along, then they’d lift their heads up into the air and he thought they were howling…
4] Location and any impact on your work:
I live in Massachusetts, sorta half way between Boston and Plymouth. I think that it really hasn’t had any impact on my art work, though.
5] Preferred medium(s):
Mostly fabric…I use scrap booking buttons usually, some gemstones, feathers, almost the time; for my DreamWebs. My other goodies, it varies.
6] Brief personal history:
Born and raised in the Bay State, probably die here too…not a big traveller; my only out of country trip was to Canada in 68. Visited a few states: California, Florida, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maryland and Maine.
I always was interested in “old stuff” like dinosaurs and I could read heiroglyphics when I was little. I wanted to be an archaeologist growing up, but my grandmother said it wasn’t for girls and that I should get a degree I could “use”. So I have a wasted Accounting degree…It never interested me enough to do anything with it, but I loved the 12 column worksheets and how to make everything balance.
I have a twin sister, who’s five minutes older than me. In China, *I* would be considered the older one because I was polite enough to let her go out first.
I’m married to a Greek Orthodox guy who’s 17 years older than me. I have one son who’s now 16 and lucky he’s lived this long…and am owned by Obelisk the Tormentor, a 6 year old Leghorn hen.
I work for a chain pet store, cleaning the small and fuzzys which I happen to be allergic to. But I love animals and take my allergy/asthma meds…
My sister and I were both premies, weighing 2 pounds when we were born. I’ve had two corrective surgeries on my heart and she was treated for clubfoot. But we’re both healthy now.
7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:
My great grandmother (we lived in a four generation house) was always knitting or crocheting or making dolls. I still have some of the dolls she made. Can’t knit or crochet to save my life though, must be a left-handed thing.
I was always drawing and sketching stuff, so I’ve always been an “arty” person.
My Aunt was going the flea market circuit in the Southwest and was making Dream Catchers. She taught me and I made them my own by using fabrics and crafting thread instead of the sinew and leather. I don’t call them Dream Catchers because they’re not the traditional ones.
As for being sucked into Etsy, it was a chicken person named Terrie Lacy who was selling her potholders there and I joined to see if anyone would be interested in my creations too.
8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:
My inspiration can be anything. It can be an interesting fat quarter or remnant, then I run around Joann’s like Mike the Headless Chicken looking for scrap booking buttons or beads to match. Some inspiration comes from being a Pagan, like my Gods Inspiration series of DreamWebs and my Tshirt designs.
9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:
I’ve tried jewelry making, polymer clay, candle making, soap making, but I’ll stick with my mainstays of DreamWebs and Tshirts.
I want to finish my line of Poppets. I have desert, glacier, ocean, mountain to do…
I’m also thinking of starting up another store for my “craft” stuff, like the Altars-in-a-jar, and the Feathery Blessings line…I already have a name in mind “The Kiwi Silkie”…
10] Any additional information you would like to share:
Nope…hehehe Except for the fact that I have a wicked sense of humour…And I’m a fiction writer, nothing published yet, but I do have some excerpts from my past two NaNoWriMos on my blog… http://spottedcrow.blogspot.com/
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Meet Celticcrossing! EAST member Interview #3!
Celticcrossing is the winner of our most recent Midwinter challenge! Her entry, 'Once in a Blue Moon' is a beautiful example of the wonderful work offered in her Etsy Shop. Be sure to visit and see all she has to offer!
This entry is the third in the series of get to know the members of EAST, the Earthpath Artisans Street Team of Etsy interviews. Enjoy!
1] Name:
Celticcrossing or in RL [real life] it’s Arien.
2] Shop name and link:
Celticcrossing.etsy.com
3] Inspiration for shop name:
My first name [Arien] is Celtic & I’ve always been fanatic about anything Celtic so I knew that had to be part of the name but it was a wonderful friend of mine who came up with the final name of Celticcrossing.
4] Location and any impact on your work:
I’m just a small town girl, living in Nova Scotia, Canada. I always see this wonderful jewelry that seems to cost so much and all I could think was “gee I could do that!” and so I did.
5] Preferred medium(s): gemstones, sterling silver, & copper wire.
6] Brief personal history:
I have always had a fascination with gems; in junior high I was lucky enough to have a teacher who was a gemologist and had the equipment to teach gem cutting. I took to it like a fish to water! I would have continued with it had the teacher not left leaving me without an avenue to continue with.
I am a full time Youth Counselor by trade. I enjoy bringing crafts to the kids that I work with. I find it to be a social learning experience & the kids are always smiling with their finished work. Not to forget that crafting keeps me awake on night shifts!
I’ve always done crafts of some sort whether it be making jewelry, water colors, cross stitch, crochet. I’ve always had some type of crafty hobby – & I’ve got a lot of supplies to prove it!
Recently I’ve been drawn back to making jewelry & more intriguing to me the art of wire work. Figuring out how to wind, swirl, & twist wire to get the desired effect you want, I love it!
7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:
I have almost always crafted in one way or another. But it was an amazing friend of mine who told me about Etsy & I haven’t looked back. I have met many wonderful people!!
8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:
Inspiration is every where! Look around you, the world is an amazing place full of spectacular things. Family, friends are always inspiring me to create & imagine grand things. Learning Reiki, reading oracle cards, connecting with so many other fantastic artisans is always inspirational & a growing experience for which I am forever grateful.
9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:
What’s in the wings? I’ve got ideas for some rings, looking at a “Moon” series possibly. Mediums that I may try will be actual metal smithing I think. Considering the work that I’m doing right now it seems only right to add it, & possibly chainmaille (my brother keeps asking if I’m ever going to do it!) There will always be new ideas; new techniques to try & I love to learn. So I am sure that there will be new things in Celticcrossing.
10] Any additional information you would like to share:
Just that I love to learn & create & I have been blessed here with the EAST team to learn & grow from such wonderful people!♥
Be sure to visit Arien's shop Celticcrossing on Etsy to see more of her fantastic work!
This entry is the third in the series of get to know the members of EAST, the Earthpath Artisans Street Team of Etsy interviews. Enjoy!
1] Name:
Celticcrossing or in RL [real life] it’s Arien.
2] Shop name and link:
Celticcrossing.etsy.com
3] Inspiration for shop name:
My first name [Arien] is Celtic & I’ve always been fanatic about anything Celtic so I knew that had to be part of the name but it was a wonderful friend of mine who came up with the final name of Celticcrossing.
4] Location and any impact on your work:
I’m just a small town girl, living in Nova Scotia, Canada. I always see this wonderful jewelry that seems to cost so much and all I could think was “gee I could do that!” and so I did.
5] Preferred medium(s): gemstones, sterling silver, & copper wire.
6] Brief personal history:
I have always had a fascination with gems; in junior high I was lucky enough to have a teacher who was a gemologist and had the equipment to teach gem cutting. I took to it like a fish to water! I would have continued with it had the teacher not left leaving me without an avenue to continue with.
I am a full time Youth Counselor by trade. I enjoy bringing crafts to the kids that I work with. I find it to be a social learning experience & the kids are always smiling with their finished work. Not to forget that crafting keeps me awake on night shifts!
I’ve always done crafts of some sort whether it be making jewelry, water colors, cross stitch, crochet. I’ve always had some type of crafty hobby – & I’ve got a lot of supplies to prove it!
Recently I’ve been drawn back to making jewelry & more intriguing to me the art of wire work. Figuring out how to wind, swirl, & twist wire to get the desired effect you want, I love it!
7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:
I have almost always crafted in one way or another. But it was an amazing friend of mine who told me about Etsy & I haven’t looked back. I have met many wonderful people!!
8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:
Inspiration is every where! Look around you, the world is an amazing place full of spectacular things. Family, friends are always inspiring me to create & imagine grand things. Learning Reiki, reading oracle cards, connecting with so many other fantastic artisans is always inspirational & a growing experience for which I am forever grateful.
9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:
What’s in the wings? I’ve got ideas for some rings, looking at a “Moon” series possibly. Mediums that I may try will be actual metal smithing I think. Considering the work that I’m doing right now it seems only right to add it, & possibly chainmaille (my brother keeps asking if I’m ever going to do it!) There will always be new ideas; new techniques to try & I love to learn. So I am sure that there will be new things in Celticcrossing.
10] Any additional information you would like to share:
Just that I love to learn & create & I have been blessed here with the EAST team to learn & grow from such wonderful people!♥
Be sure to visit Arien's shop Celticcrossing on Etsy to see more of her fantastic work!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Midwinter Challenge Winner is Once in a blue Moon by Celtic Crossing!
People did a great job of representing the theme Midwinter. Thanks to everyone who participated and all those who voted for your favorite!
Congratulations Celticcrossing! Be sure to visit her Etsy Store and see all the fantastic items she has listed! Come back soon to learn more about Celticcrossing and her creative process!
To see all the entries visit the challenge post!
Congratulations Celticcrossing! Be sure to visit her Etsy Store and see all the fantastic items she has listed! Come back soon to learn more about Celticcrossing and her creative process!
To see all the entries visit the challenge post!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Midwinter Challenge Vote on your favorite!
February first falls midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.
The EAST Team was challenged to create a piece that demonstrates their interpretation of this theme.
In the item descriptions the artist includes an explanation of how their work reflects the theme, Midwinter. Be sure to visit each members shop to read the details of their challenge entry! After seeing all the entries please vote in the poll, in the right hand sidebar, to select your favorite! Voting will be open until February 27th. The winner will be our next featured team member!
#1 Intention Basket Talisman for Joy, Patience, and Strength by sagehealer of SageHealer Art for Healing and Meditation:
#2 Midwinter Goddess Dollie by dismissie of Dismisie' Mixed Bag:
#3 Once in a Blue Moon Necklace by Celticcrossing:
#4 Introspection DreamWeb by HowlingCaterpillars:
#5 Blue, Silver and Gold Chainmaille Circlet- Midwinter Skies by merigreenleaf of Elfling Creations:
#6 Bridgit's Cross table topper by Cobaltquilter of Cobaltquilter's Corner:
Be sure to vote for your favorite!
The EAST Team was challenged to create a piece that demonstrates their interpretation of this theme.
In the item descriptions the artist includes an explanation of how their work reflects the theme, Midwinter. Be sure to visit each members shop to read the details of their challenge entry! After seeing all the entries please vote in the poll, in the right hand sidebar, to select your favorite! Voting will be open until February 27th. The winner will be our next featured team member!
#1 Intention Basket Talisman for Joy, Patience, and Strength by sagehealer of SageHealer Art for Healing and Meditation:
#2 Midwinter Goddess Dollie by dismissie of Dismisie' Mixed Bag:
#3 Once in a Blue Moon Necklace by Celticcrossing:
#4 Introspection DreamWeb by HowlingCaterpillars:
#5 Blue, Silver and Gold Chainmaille Circlet- Midwinter Skies by merigreenleaf of Elfling Creations:
#6 Bridgit's Cross table topper by Cobaltquilter of Cobaltquilter's Corner:
Be sure to vote for your favorite!
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