Discover winter goodies on Etsy at ourhometoyours

Amanda and Debbi are the owners of  Our Home to yours , you may remember that I've featured their bridal shadow box a few months ago?

click here for more details

But today I fell more inspired by theyr lovely crochet items!
Just as the chunky cowl in the image above.
The scarf has been hand crocheted by Amanda.
 
Here in Australia, we are in the middle of Autumn, the days are getting shorter, the air is sharper and the general atmosphere more frisky. I am a very cold person, so I am already dreaming about scarfs, blankets, shawls...and Our Home to yous also known as Yankee Burrow Creation is full of goodies!!! They quality handmade products embellish not only your appearance but also your heart!

Click here to discover more lovely crocheted fashion items.

You can also find Debbi and Amanda on twitter or facebook

Interview with Etsy Seller Jamie from loveineverything

 Tell us a bit about yourself

I am a mother of three boys, and the wife to a loving, supportive husband. We are a homeschooling family, who spend our days exploring our interests.

Tell us a bit about you Etsy shop

I make clothing, baby booties as well as quilts and blankets out of upcycled, recycled and repurposed materials. Each item is unique and one of a kind. I love combining a bit of my personality and a touch of tradition whenever I can. I think it makes for a truly unique and special gift to give to the little ones in a persons life.

for more details click here

Your recent project

I tend to have several projects on the go. At the moment I am working on some children's hoodies with geometrical shapes and designs. Very bright and colourful. I think they will be fun. In the background, I am also thinking of two quilts that I plan on making for an art show that takes place in the summer.

What is handmade foryou

For me handmade means something unique, that is made from the heart and soul of person. It is something that can never be duplicated.

Virtual Trip - Africa - Israel - Middle East with Etsy sellers

Hi,
I just came back from Europe, a resourcing holiday visiting family and friends.
And as usual I just would love to travel again. For me it is like this, the more I travel the more I want to travel!
This though inspired me this blog post, dedicate to awesome Etsy sellers which items make me dream of exotic places: Dee Dee Dzyn  and Africa, Ancient oils and Israel, Blue White Wear  and the Middle East .
So ready stady goooooooooooooooooo!
Let's start togheter this virtual trip and discover some exotic and unique products...

 Dee Dee Dzyn 

Offers a selection of  unique, trendy, one of a kind, hand-made beaded jewelry in a variety of materials, such as unpolished stone, polished stone, crystals, glass beads and metal components.
My favourite piece from her shop is this beautiful nexclace that reminds me of Afica ( Delia the owner of the shop was born and raised in South Africa, many of her designs reflect the cultural influences of her youth).
That would be perfect if  you are looking for an unusual looking accessory to wear with brown, black or beige.

click here for more details


And now lets leave South Africa for the Dead Sea.

Ancient oils

You will be enchanted by the choice of aromatherapy oils Lilly (the owner of the shop) has to offer.

Each Blend is uniquely created with therapeutic grade essential oils that respectfully represent aspects of each goddess; Artemis for strength, Gala for Grounding, Coventina for Purification etc.

The practice of using essential oils is commonly referred to as aromatherapy, and is used for physical and psychological well-being. In ancient times, sweet smelling oils were more respected for both medicinal and their healing properties than scent. Essential Oils are often referred to as "Mankind's First Medicine".
My favourite item is this dead sea facial mask:

click herfor more details

Aphrodite's Facial Dead Sea Mud Mask:



The Dead Sea contains the greatest concentrations of minerals than any other ocean.  Dead Sea mud not only hydrates the skin but also exfoliates leaving you looking and feeling healthier.

And now lets' leave Israel for one of his neighbour countries in the Middle East.

Blue White Wear

CC creates unique jewelry  with an oriental touch! A modern version of East meets West.
My favourite item in her shop are this pair of Hamsa Earrings:

click here for more details

The hamsa charm is an ancient Middle Eastern amulet symbolizing the Hand of God.

It provides the wearer with good health, good luck, happiness, and fortune.

However, none of these are guaranteed by this seller. :)

Hope you enjoied this virtual journey...
Have a lovely day!

Interview with Etsy seller Corina

click here for more details

Tell us a bit about yourself
Well in a nutshell...I am a blogging, sewing-obsessed, vintage-loving, language-studying, book worm and mom of two who happens to run an etsy shop. I'm interested in a lot of things from languages to string theory. It sounds more impressive than it is, the problem with having this many interests is having a short attention span. I am currently in the middle of three books. I tend to jump from thing to thing, but the only activity I have rarely ever gotten sick of is designing and sewing. 

Tell us a bit about your etsy shop
This is my second Etsy shop and my third label. My first shop, girlispoison, was me still trying to find my style. I have matured since then and now I know what is flattering and what is, for lack of a better word, "me". With this shop I knew I would need an idea that would set it apart from the sea of vintage reproduction sellers here on etsy so I challenged myself to make all my items reversible. I think reversible clothing will become more common in the future as people look for ways to save space, money and reduce thier impact on the environment. Having a garment that does double duty also gives you more choices and who doesn't want that? I draft all my own patterns from scratch by the way. (I get that question a lot.) I wasn't formally trained. I am for the most part self-taught and always researching new techniques.

Your recent project
Just yesterday I drafted my first pair of reversible shorts. I don't have pictures yet, but when I do I'll be posting them on my blog: reverseclothing.blogspot.com/ Other than that custom orders keep me pretty busy. I have 13 waiting right now! The success of this clothing label has been really surprising to me since my other two projects never really took off.

What is vintage for you
Vintage for me is anything from the early 80's downward. I hear some people calling 90s vintage which is odd to me because I witnessed it firsthand. I guess it depends on your age. I love all eras of fashion. I can find inspiration in almost anything. My favorite eras right now are 1930s through the 1960s, although some 70s disco styles have been catching my attention lately.

Any special offer?

 I'm doing a giveaway on my facebook page? I do a giveaway every 100 new likes.

Click here for more details

Etsy Interview with Lynn from AnnieRoseVintage

Tell us about your shop

In my shop AnnieRoseVintage, I sell vintage and upcycled clothing. I've been crafting all of my adult life. My mother and grandmother had a variety of creative talents...sewing, crocheting etc. and although I didn't really entertain my creative self when I was younger, once I got married and had children I found a lot of joy and satisfaction from making things for my children and my home. I love anything vintage, as far as I'm concerned something with a history has so much more value, and being eco conscious is something I'm so much more aware of now. In such a disposable society, I really try to keep things in circulation as long as they are usable in any form or fashion. I love the challenge of taking something old and upcycling, refashioning, embellishing or whatever you prefer to call it, and making something entirely different and desirable with it. THAT part of the creative process is what I love so much! And the finished product of course! 

I have two Etsy shops, I also make jewelry... click here to discover my jewellery.


I've decided to concentrate mainly on and go forward with my AnnieRose brand and when I can, incorporate some of my jewelry into my AnnieRose shop. I find I truly get the most satisfaction from upcycled fashion, so that's where I'm going to concentrate my efforts. My favorite thing to do in my AnnieRose shop is taking vintage slips and gowns and upcycling them into beautiful dresses and tops. Vintage lingerie is one of my favorite things to work with!



What is Vintage for you?

For me vintage is not just about when something was made but about the feelings it evokes. I love things that remind me of things my mother or grandmother would have owned. Things that stir up those nostalgic feelings in me...that's what vintage is about.



Tell us about your latest project?

Here are a couple of recent listings in my AnnieRose shop:


Fore more details click here 

For more details click here

Interview with Etsy seller Katie Louise Leach from KatiesBeadsOfHope

for more details click here 

Tell us a little about you

 I am a student who is very familiar with the art of home schooling (whoohoo!) and, being a southern Georgia girl, I am in love with the outdoor world God has blessed us with. Guitar, sports, family, art, and serving my God are just a few things I am interested in :)

Tell us about your Etsy shop

I've been involved with making art ever since I can remember...I really can't say exactly when I picked up my craft making hobby. But I do remember that awesome Christmas morning when I received a HUGE bead kit that jumpstarted my love for higher-quality jewelry making! {The thanks goes to my Aunt and Unlce for that.}. I have been beading and exploring the world of arts and crafts ever since. Soon I discovered Etsy, and here I am! :) At my shop, KatiesBeadsofHope, I sell my artwork to support an orphan girl that I met in India in 2010.

Tell us a bit more about your Beads for hope programme

Katie's Beads of Hope started after I came home from a mission trip the gorgeous country of India. The people there have stolen my heart, especially one girl named Binati. I "sponsor" Binati--meaning I pay for her clothes, her meals, her education, etc. Selling my work is how I do that. Not a penny goes to anyone else--all proceeds go towards providing a better life for Binati!

Your recent project?

Hmm..my most recent project would have to be my hand-drawn cards. I love working with abstract designs and color, and it's been so much fun making these!

Click here to discover now KatiesBeadsOfHope shop

Interview with Etsy seller Kayla Cameroon - KK13

                                                        click here for more details 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.



I'm a teenage girl living with my family of 8 in the southwest. I have 5 siblings, all younger than me. I am a country girl and I love all things outside. We are planning on moving to a farm later this year, and I'm really excited about that. I am still in school, but I hope to graduate by the end of this year. 

When did you start crocheting?

Well, I learned to knit when I was about 7, but I didn't really like it. My grandma took me to a class to learn to crochet when I was about 9 or 10, and I fell instantly in love. I couldn't stop. I take my most recent project with me wherever I go. I take it to the stadium to watch a football game, to church, wherever I go, I take it with me. I don't know what my life would be without crochet.



Tell us why you started your shop



Well, my grandma lives in a mobile home park, and she came to me in December of 2010 asking me to make some lap blankets for her to donate to the people in the park who couldn't provide for themselves. I made probably about 25 of them, and gave them to her. Then I started thinking... "Hey, I bet you I could sell these online!" I started out making a light pink blanket and posting it on Ebay... with no luck. I barely even had any views. Then I heard about Etsy. The listing views were way cheaper than Ebay, plus I figured that since it was a mostly handmade site, that maybe it would help with my views. I started out on Etsy marketing my blankets as lap blankets, but that didn't work out, so I started marketing them as baby blankets instead. I opened my shop in February of last year, and had my first sale within a few days! Ever since then it has just taken off, and I couldn't be more grateful.

What do you do with the proceeds from your shop?

Well, mostly I put the money back into my business, buying yarn, hooks, etc. But I'm also saving up to go to Alaska this fall and see a friend that I haven't seen for about 2 years.



What are you currently working on?




Hm.... Would you like me to list it in alphabetical order? :D I always have a lot of projects going on. But to name a few, I'm working on a ripple blanket, a few of my regular blankets, (the ones that are very dominant in my shop) and some baby blankets for some friend's mothers who are expecting. 



Other than crocheting, what do you like to do?




Well, number one is sing. I LOVE to sing. I've performed a few times with a friend of mine, and right now I'm getting ready for a recital in May. I also love to play violin, piano, cook, bake, and pretty much do anything music related. 
 

Click here to discover Kayla's Etsy  shop.

Interview with Jennifer Anderson from jmaryleathers

                       for more details click here

Interview with Jennifer Anderson from jmaryleathers

Tell us about yourself

I consider myself a simple person, grew up in Colorado and was surrounded by creative people all my life. My brother is an artist himself, but I followed after my mother sewing, crafting and crocheting. I always had the dream to create things, but more recently I took the bull by the horns and did it. I was in the Aveda salon /spa/beauty industry for the past 8 years, and recently moved to Wyoming to a ranch, here it is so easy to have time to work on my craft. After working in downtown Denver for almost 5 years, I really felt the call to remove myself for all the hustle and bustle. A door was truly opened for me and I feel obligated to not let it slip away. Besides that, I have a husband who is an Executive Chef at The Lodge and Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, a boxer named tank, I am the youngest of four and I am obessed with leather.

Tell us about your Etsy shop

My shop is ever evolving. As you can see from it, I include leather in everything I do, besides some of my friendship bracelets. My passion is leather handbags and leather cuffs. I hand dye every cuff I make. I also hand tool some of my leather cuffs for OOAK purposes. Tooling is such an amazing craft that I am slowly but surely learning. I try to make my prices resonable for all, cause I want people to own what I make, not just look at it. I am inspired everyday by Etsy artisans and their creations. I strive for this creativity everyday. 



                  for more details click here 

Tell us about your latest project

My recent project inlcudes clutch purses for Spring! I have been making alot of medium sized bags, but its all about clutches this season. I also will be adding new spring jewelry to my collections, with softer color schemes. 



What is vintage for you?

Vintage for me is an item that tells a story of the past. It captures a moment in time when things had character and uniqueness. Vintage items have to be old, that just the rule. They also have to capture a trend of an era, I believe. Vintage reminds us where we came from.

For more details about Jennifer and her lovely shop click here 

Interview with Etsy seller Carrie from NorthEndThreads

                                                            for more details click here

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am a f/t mother of two kids, a son and daughter. They are in elementary school which allows time for me to sew during the day. I try to get out of the house for a workout at the Y a couple of times/week to clear my head and avoid being too much of a hermit. I enjoy snow skiing with my daughter and watching my son play baseball. I am married and we are a close family. My husband is in sales. I am turning 40 this summer and I welcome it! 

This idea of handlebar bike bags/crossbody bags has been in my head for a couple of years, but I didn't have a sewing machine nor did I know how to sew!! Living on one income made it hard to conquer both of those limitations. One day I went to Joanne Fabrics to buy some items and try to make a prototype for fun. I met a woman there in her 70's. We got to chatting in line and I told her what I wanted to do. She thought for a few minutes and I could tell she was contemplating something. Then she told me to come to her house and she would teach me how to make my bag. Turns out, she used to teach sewing lessons when she was younger. That was my first obstacle out of the way. 

Next, I met another woman in a bible study I started attending who offered to loan me her sewing machine. My husband had just been laid off and I wanted to try making some simple things (i.e. draft guards for doors) to sell at a Xmas Baazar in order to make money for gifts. After Xmas was over I got the courage up to try to make my first bag. It slowly came together. So I made a few more and each time it got easier and was less stressful.

Now, I can make them more quickly and they turn out extremely well (if I do say so myself!). People are finding them and they are selling. I believe that God orchestrated it all, putting people in my path to help me do this. I have some limitations that make working outside of the home difficult and wanted a way to make money from home. I feel it's a sign that He wants to help me and loves his children.



Tell us a bit about your Etsy shop

My shop is solely for handlebar bike bags for women that can be removed and worn hands-free as crossbody bags. This is personally my favorite type of bag because if I have a purse with handles I will forget it somewhere. I am a carefree type that just needs a few items and not a huge bag. I think ladies who are active tend to be this way. I love to make a variety of colors with contrasting linings and fun embellishments.



Tell us about your latest project

 My most recent project is a purple velour bag. It's more swanky than the other cotton duck types. It will be interesting to see if people respond to it. I also want to evolve more and use hardware on them (magnetic clasps, etc.). But my shop is still new and there's time for that. "Slow and steady wins the race" - that's my motto. Grow and evolve slowly, keeping it manageable.



What is handmade for you?

Handmade for me means it supports someone in the U.S. (often) which I really like. It also more than likely helps support a mother that wants to be home which I feel is great for kids, families and society. Plus, there's just more care put into a handmade item. And it's not made in a sweatshop, which is huge.



To check out Carrie Shop now click here