Columbus Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows: May 2013

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

These Crafty Ladies Are Jills of All Trades!

Meet Savannah Norris-Jenkins from SolarFire Jewelry...

I am a wife and a mother to a cute and very opinionated two year old daughter. I create jewelry for my jewelry business, SolarFire Jewlery. I am a singer and musician for two local groups, my folk group The Song Birds and a duet with my husband called Jinxed. And since I have bills to pay, I work full time as an Operations Manager at a bank. I keep myself busy!

When I was young, my aunts used to have my sister and I do crafts with them whenever we were visiting, and we loved it! In fact, one of my aunts will also be a vendor at the upcoming spring show selling her tie-dye! As I got older, I got into drawing and music as my artistic outlets. I am a musician and love of jewelry making too!

How I got into my craft.. I had been itching to do something creative when I happened upon a beautiful pair of polished cabochon gemstones that just screamed to be made into some earrings. I hadn't tried my hand at jewelry making before, but did some research and tried it out. I instantly fell in love with designing and crafting my jewelry pieces and have been hooked ever since.

How I got started selling my craft... There was no way I would ever be able to wear everything that I was making. I've always enjoyed going to craft shows and shopping on Etsy, so I thought it would be fun to be a vendor too. And a little bit of extra income never hurts either.

Most of my design comes from inspiration from the stones themselves: their shape, color and size sparks an idea and I run with that. During the work day or especially after I've gone to bed, I'll be running through design ideas and I can't wait to have some time to start on them.

I like to create unique statement pieces that catch people's attention and are easy to wear both casually and for a date night out. For me, I appreciate jewelry that can pull double duty and look great paired both with jeans and white t-shirt or your cute little black dress.

Meet Stephanie Motley from Miss Motleys...
Miss Motleys is a one woman production "team." A jill of all trades whom loves trying a variety of creative mediums.After many friends, family and co-workers requesting custom pieces and suggesting I sell my work, I finally took the plunge.

I have been creating thing for as long as I can remember, but I’ve officially been doing it as a business since 2007. I love taking old ugly unwanted items and revamping them into something new, awesome and coveted. It is running joke in my family that the craft hobby is hereditary. I've been lucky enough to be surrounded by creativity in many forms for most of my life.

I discovered my talent through many years of trial and error. I've tried every craft that has caught my fancy. I seem to come back to sewing every time. I think the versatility of the craft prevents me from becoming burnt out or bored with what I am doing.

My creative process is very flexible. I have a few basic design templates but the combinations of fabrics are determined by what crosses my path.

Our goal is to reuse and recycle as many materials as possible to better our quality of living while still being stylish.

Meet Kristin & Linda Sigman from Lilly Of the Valley Elite...
We are a mother-daughter duo that started our company in February 2012. Kristin is a high school science teacher that devotes her spare time to her four legged children-Lilly (brindle, Bull Terrier), Linus (cat), and Luna (cat). Linda is a gardener and grandmother living on the farm with Bobo (Chihuahua), Ray Ray (Border Collie Mix), Zoie (Rat Terrier), and Emme (Beagle/Bassett Mix).

L.O.V.E is inspired by our pets and nature. Our business began with the creation of doggy collar capes, bandanas, and shirt collars. After our first year, we branched out with the creation of Bully Catchers, Lil’ Luvs, Cozy Noggins, Little Bits, Dainty Diva Wear, and cat products.

Designing pet products for others brings us great joy. It means making something that other people can enjoy! Thanks to the Internet, we have been able to sell our products all across the U.S. This will be our very first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. We look forward to meeting new people and sharing our L.O.V.E. with others!

Meet Christa Will of Dizzie Daisy...
I am a 38-year-old x-ray technician who lives with her husband and two teenage boys. I love to craft in any spare time I can get. I have been crafting for shows now for about two and a half years. This will be my second Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show since they came to the Columbus area.

I love personalized gifts and the thought that goes behind them. Personalized gifts are extra special when you find something that portrays a quality of the person you are giving it to, or it reflects something that shows that you know what they like. It means a little bit more than any general present that you can pick up at the local gift shop.

I started out doing scrapbook pages, and while researching different ways to crop a page I came across SO many different things you can make with paper that I had to start experimenting...I got hooked! I decided to try to organize all of the pictures of my kids growing up into neat little scrapbooks. That turned into album gifts for friends, which turned into other gifts for friends & family. Before I knew it, I had enough to start selling them!

The message behind my work is thought. What you might think is the smallest, cheapest, most insignificant little trinket might mean the world to someone who knows that you were thinking about them enough to take the time to stop and pick out something that reflects how you see them. It’s the little personal touches that stick in people's minds, and sometimes that’s all it takes to make a lasting impression.

2013 Columbus Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, May 11th 2013, 10:00am-4:00pm

St. Agatha's Parish Hall

1860 Northam Rd

Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator at info@avantgardes hows.co m

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Friday, May 3, 2013

Gifts that Cover Everyone in the Family, Including Fido!

Meet Aleatha Shannon from Resurrected-Threads…

I am a wife and mom to two boys. Besides sewing, I love cooking, reading, camping, gardening, and decorating my home.

I listed my first item on Etsy in 2010, and this will be my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show.

Nature, fabric, natural materials, and crafty friends inspire me.

I have been crafting for as long as I can remember and have always wanted to have crafting as my career. Honestly, I have always been known as "that artsy/crafty girl" since I was little!

I learned how to sew at age 7 and really took off making my clothes as a teenager. In college I worked as a seamstress in a theater and was able to really hone my skills. I have always wanted to be an artist of some sort, and so after graduating from college I opened my own shop, www.resurrected-threads.com, in 2010.

I collect fabrics that inspire me (from thrift stores, as all my items are upcycled). Then I brainstorm and design what I would like to make with what I have. Sometimes I go shopping again to fill in any gaps. Then I make patterns, and get sewing!

In 5 years I plan to have a more cohesive brand, better photography, faster production techniques, more designs and size options, and possibly some women's clothing. I hope to have a more regular income from my shop and craft shows.

The messages behind my work are: 1. Dress your kids in clothes that make you, your kids, and everyone who sees them happy (because they look so cute!) It will make your day awesome. 2. When shopping for clothing, keep in mind that clothing and textile waste is a major part of all the waste we produce. Consider buying second hand, upcycled, buying less, mending, whatever it takes to waste less.

Meet Brittany Lewis from JB Ranch…

My name is Brittany and I am the Owner of JB Ranch along with my husband. I have an Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology and worked as a Vet Tech for 4 years. I also have experience with pet grooming.

I have since entered a new career to be more financially fit but my heart will always be with animals. Not only do I miss caring for people’s pets, I am a huge supporter of animal rescue. This led me to creating RESCUE… Pet Products© in December 2012.

Through trial and error and a lot of research, I bottled my passion for animals so you can now RESCUE… your dirty dog (and so many other things) while feeling good about it. All of my products are made with organic ingredients and no harmful chemicals. Ten percent of the profit is donated to animal shelters and other organizations that are dedicated to saving animals lives.

This is JB Ranch’s first year for craft shows including the Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. We are so excited to get out in our community and meet other artists, crafters, and animal lovers.

Our goal is to eventually own our own animal rescue. With your help getting the word out, we will be able to help save one innocent animal at a time until that day comes. The next time you go to grab a product to care for your pet, consider RESCUE… Pet Products so we can Rescue Animals while Keeping Yours Healthy.

Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/jbranchohio

Blog: www.jbranchohio.wordpress.com

Instagram: jbranchrescue

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JB-Ranch/586806564671271

Meet Nancy Lacke from AdoreJules…

When I was young I always thought I would go into an area of design. I was always sketching something. It ranged from fashion models to room decor and design. I also had a love of jewelry, which began when I was very young and my father bought me my first ring. That was just the start of my collection whether new or antique.

As I got older I decided to become a teacher yet never stopped engaging in a creative activity. As my children grew I was drawn to taking classes in jewelry making and felt I found my creative passion.

After my first jewelry making class in 2003 I began designing and making jewelry pieces as gifts for family and friends. It wasn't until 2009 that I actually opened a shop on Etsy and registered my trade name. By 2010 my jewelry was carried in shops, I was a vendor in juried art shows, etc. This will be my third Avant-Garde Show.

I grew up in Chicago and have always loved fashion. So fashion trends inspire me as well as timeless classics. Also my own desire to create something that I would love to wear!

The desire to grow my creative side got me into the craft hobby.

My creative process can begin with a gemstone or it can begin by a vision of design I have in mind.

I can't believe how much has changed in the years since 2009 and I'm so grateful for all of it. In 5 years I would love to have someone working for me to handle the administrative part of the business so I can spend more time creating.

My message is to provide the individual with a high quality piece of jewelry at a fair price. It's also important that I purchase materials (chain, findings etc.) from companies where it is made in the USA. I'm diligent at sourcing my materials and currently 90% of my materials are made in the USA.

Meet Karen Brown from Kabby’s Kards…

My name is Karen Brown and I am a retired High School Secretary and live with my husband of 54 years. We love to golf together and watch birds at our feeders. In past years we have spent a lot of time in Florida and vacation with our family in the summer at Sunset Beach, N.C. We have 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

I began scrapbooking in 2000 and a decided to make cards a few years ago. I have done some craft shows and sell them in a few stores, but I really like craft shows as I get to meet the people purchasing my cards.

This is my Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show, and I am looking forward to meeting other crafters.

Pretty papers and colors inspire me. I like to blend colors with designs on papers. I view everything I see as an opportunity to create a card or page. I love nature and try to bring natural things onto my cards.

My daughter began scrapping and she inspired me. I began with making a book of a Florida vacation and then I began with making a scrapbook for my first grandchild graduating from high school and continued making one for each one graduating. I like to do vacation scrapbooks and for our babies as great grandchildren have arrived. I like to do cards as they are smaller projects and can be done more quickly and can be shared with others.

I just began playing around with my scrapbook scraps and embellishments and dug out my stamps and began creating, that’s how I discovered my talent. I think I have improved in my styles and techniques and hope to continue as it is a change and grow process.

I try not to copy other's projects, but get inspired with their use of colors and techniques and then turn them into my own. Sometimes it just comes together by itself.

Haven't really thought about where I want my business to be in 5 years, but hope I am still creating.

I like to think my cards are cheerful and encouraging. Many of my cards are faith based and ideas brought to bring encouragement to others in difficult times.