Thursday, January 3, 2013

Starting 2013 in Style!


Meet Angela Pennock from Marang Studios...
My name is Angela Pennock and I am the creator and designer behind Marang Studios. I create eco friendly fashion accessories, jewelry and home decor mostly from old t-shirts and reclaimed fabrics and materials. I have, since college, been using materials that are headed to the trash or dump. I began using magazines to make elaborate paper collages and have always worked with fabrics on the side. It's such a thrill to know where the materials had started, as old t-shirts, and to see what you can make with them! The shirts are fun and versatile and the colors and patterns are endless!
I search high and low for inspiration and will find ideas in the strangest places. I will see ideas in stores, magazines, online or even in nature. There is inspiration everywhere if you just take the time to look.

Art and creating have always been a huge part of my life. My mother and both Grandmother's are quilters and seamstresses, and my Grandfather was a woodworker. It was natural to me to follow in their footsteps. I attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI and have my Bachelors in Fine Art.

I wanted to start my own business to have an outlet for my creations. Etsy was a great place to start. I began with Etsy in 2007 as a way to make a little extra money and to be a part of a creative community. This is my second Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. I participated in the August show in Columbus.

I work pretty intuitively with many of my creations, letting the pieces fall together. I don't typically work from patterns as it creates redundancy and I love that each piece I create is unique and one of a kind. I love that a person can find that one special piece and they know that they will have the only one like it. Everyone is unique and you should have unique accessories that express your individual style.
I think the biggest message behind my work is that even something discarded, or about to be, still can serve another purpose if you just put a little thought into it. We throw away so much usable materials is astonishing. I am just trying to do my part in being eco friendly and pass that on to my customers. I also believe a fun unique accessory can tell a lot about a person, show a side that some may not see. My pieces are a bright, fun and unique way to show off your own creativity and unique fashion style.

For links to my work visit:

Meet Stephanie Crooks from OneSEC...
My name is Stephanie Crooks and I opened my online Etsy store, OneSEC, in August 2012. I've never been one to wear a ton of jewelry but when I do, I love simple and dainty pieces that can be worn from day to night. I've always felt affordable options with those qualities are hard to find and I found it to be frustrating. With that said, I decided to start making my own pieces and from there it grew into an Etsy store that so far has been quite successful for me! I couldn't be happier with how things have gone for me and the store thus far <3

I'm fairly new to this business, only six or seven months.. I've only done one Avant-Garde show so far, and that was the November 18, 2012 show at the Columbus Greek Orthodox Church in the short north. It was an awesome show!
When it comes to creativity, my whole family is adorned with tons of different talents but I think I mostly I owe my creativity to my mother. From our childhood hand-sewn Halloween costumes to her decadent gourmet meals and embroidery projects, I've always been amazed by her talents and what she can accomplish with her skills. I try to mirror her because I've always been in such awe of her!

I've always loved crafts but I think what made me want to stick to my craft hobby was the end of my wedding planning. I got married last April (4/14/12) and I planned every last detail and I did every little DIY project you could think of. I was never stressed because I loved every second of it but when it was all over, I realized I missed having those projects to work on so-so much. So I started scrapping, doing home decor projects and  also started making my jewelry pieces <3
I realized I wanted to start my own business after creating my first piece of jewelry this past year. I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment and I realized I wasn't so bad at it either ;) So with all of that, I decided why not take advantage of an awesome site that I love to this day, and start selling my pieces online? That site is Etsy of course! ;)

I think I make my pieces based off of what I would want to wear on a daily basis or what I would want to wear for a specific occasion. I think about what would look good with my work attire, night out attire, etc. With those thoughts, come visions and once I have a vision I'm excited about, I contact my jewelry vendors, order what I need and I try to make the magic happen! ;)
The best feeling in the world is sending out a piece to one of my customers after an order is complete. That's my favorite part. I feel like they saw something in my jewelry and that makes me feel like my store, although not a huge phenomenon, is a little successful or at least getting there <3 

The message behind my work is that jewelry doesn't have to always be gaudy, over-the-top and expensive. There are simple, beautiful and dainty pieces out there that won't drain your bank account and OneSEC helps contribute to that.

Meet Sarah McFadden from Dainty Bean Handmade Goods..

My name is Sarah and I have loved to sew every since my mom taught me at a young age. I recently gave birth to my first daughter and I hope to be able to pass the love of sewing onto her also. I am originally from the West and have lived in Ohio for the past four years while my husband attends graduate school at the Ohio State University. I spend most of my time taking care of my family and sewing. There is nothing I would rather be doing.

I have been sewing most of my life but actually selling my handmade goods has been something I have been doing for the past 3 years. This is my first Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show and I am so excited to be a part of it!
I am constantly inspired by the beauty around me as well as the creativity of others. I love looking at Pinterest or other craft blogs and seeing the cute things people come up with. I am also inspired by the regular things in life and am always looking for ways to beautify ordinary things. I would say that most of all my creativity has been passed down to me from a long line of creative people. My mom is very creative and is always making beautiful things, as is my grandma and I would imagine her mother as well. At my daughter's baby shower, most of the gifts were handmade. I have so many crafty people in my family so it was inevitable that I would enjoy making things as well!

To be honest, I think I have a small addiction to creating things or beautifying something that already exists. I am constantly looking at something and saying "I bet I can make that," or looking at something at the thrift store thinking, "I can make that pretty or useful or whatever if I just dress it up a bit." My mom has always been repurposing things and she has inspired me to do the same.
For a really long time I didn't sell my items. If someone liked something I made, I would usually just give it to them for their birthday or just because. I was under the impression that if I started selling things, I wouldn't enjoy creating as much. This hasn't proven to be the case though. I started my Etsy shop because people were constantly telling me that I should sell my items. When I first opened my shop, I was afraid no one would buy anything from it but I was pleasantly surprised when I made my first sale. I have really enjoyed making things for people all over the country. It is fun to think that people in Chicago or Seattle or Florida are enjoying something that I have made for them.

I feel like my creative process is a little scattered. I usually have several projects going on at once, or I go through spurts where I will make several of one item, and then not make that item again for a long time. I just kind of create as I feel. If I want to make a purse, I make a purse. I am always looking for new things to sew or trying to figure out how someone made something and then try to make it myself. I love seeing something come to fruition. Not all the things I try work out, but when they do it is a great feeling.
The thing I love most is seeing the happiness in someone's face when they open my gift and say "you made this!?" or when they display my item in their home or use the purse I made them. It makes me happy to see something I made bring someone joy. I made a quilt for my friend's baby when she was born and that little girl is now 2 1/2 years old and drags that little blanket everywhere. It is well loved and enjoyed just like I intended it to be. If I can bring joy into someone's life that way, then I have accomplished what I wanted to do.

I wouldn’t say that I have a specific message behind my work. For the most part, my goal is to create beautiful things for people to enjoy. I typically make things that I would like to use as well. I try to create things that are unique, simple, functional and beautiful.  

2013 Columbus February Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, February 16th 2013, 11:00am-5:00pm
St. Agatha's Parish Hall
1860 Northam Rd
Columbus, OH 43221
For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator at info@avantgardeshows.com
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