Tuesday, December 17, 2013

These Artists Have Scents and Style!



Meet Andrea and Lisa from It’s the Little Things in Life…
 Andrea: 
I live with my husband Jake, and our 2 year old daughter Ava, in New Albany, Ohio. A 2001 Youngstown State University graduate, I taught as a Reading Specialist for 8 years and worked as a Receptionist at a medical facility for 2 years, before I became a Mom and Homemaker in 2012.  As a Homemaker, I felt compelled to release some of the creative energy I used to expend as a teacher and decided to pursue candle making.  I spent a year researching and learning the art and the business, and giving candles away to family and friends for feedback. I continue to add to my knowledge base daily.  I have had success selling candles in The Noble Baron, the barbershop Jake and I own together, for a year now. I recently began home parties and have done three in the first month.


Lisa:

I live with my husband Josh and our 3 year old son Darren, in Powell, Ohio. We are excited to be expanding our family and are expecting a daughter March 2014. I graduated from Ohio Dominican University in 2009, and have been working as a Senior Business Analyst at Nationwide for 8 years. With our growing family, I am hoping to become a Homemaker. I was inspired by Andrea’s candle venture and she has been a great source of support and encouragement as I just recently started making homemade soaps.

Lisa and Andrea met at church and have been friends for 6 years.  They have joined their business ventures to create “It’s the Little Things in Life”. They had a great time and success with their first home party together and are looking forward to their first craft show. 

Both Lisa and Andrea find inspiration in their family and a strong desire to be the best version of them selves.  They also are inspired by their community and the surrounding Columbus area.  Columbus has big city culture for a small city, a tremendous love of fashion and the arts, and numerous success stories: Cheryl’s Cookies, Jeni’s Ice Cream, Bath & Body Works, Victoria Secret and Limited Brands. All have evolved from this area, have been great influences and business leaders, and are wonderful examples to follow.  It is difficult to be a part of this community and not be inspired to do something and be passionate about doing it well!


In five years we hope to have a business presence in our community and to have had success with some of our own small city Big Ideas! 



Meet Victor and Mary from Let it Shine Candles…

We have been married for almost 24 years and have two children (both teenagers) and live in Goshen, Ohio.  We've lived in various places in Ohio our whole lives.


We've only been making candles for a couple of months.  However, we've talked about it for years.  There are/were several family members who made and sold candles for years, however, we did not want to hinder their efforts in any way.  Recently, a family member in Ohio stopped making them, so we thought it was a good time to begin our hobby. We have never participated in an Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show, this is our first time and we are excited.



We are inspired by our love for the Lord and the closeness that brings our family together when we're all working together to make our craft. (Yes, the kids are very much involved) What got us into making candles was the enjoyment of creating something that we can share with other people and being able to pass a craft on to our children so they may be able to enjoy it as they get older.


Years ago, when we began discussing the making of candles and tarts, we would always try to think of ways to promote the craft.  The art of making candles is somewhat tricky, as we have found out.  However, the desire to make a great looking and fragrant product continues to drive us.  So much of the "discovery" has been by trial and error based on our desire to create a great product.


Our creative process is one of communication with each other.  We're always bouncing ideas off of each other and then trying to step through the process of what we think will or will not work and why. Hopefully, in five years, our oldest daughter will be finishing college and our son will be in college and we'll all still be working together.  If not, then I suppose Mary and I will be enjoying each others company and still making our product and meeting new people.


The real message behind "Let It Shine Candles" is to let your light shine out unto the world.  Our family is blessed and the Lord is the center of our lives regardless of what goes on around us.  No matter what happens, we should try our best to be a help to those around us.



Meet Toya from R.I.P.E Connection Jewelry…

I have a Social Work Bachelor’s Degree and currently work as a Social Worker serving clients with mental disorder and ex-offenders. My hobby is my craft creating jewelry. I also write poetry, enjoy interior design. I give back to my community by volunteering to help homeless population. I have been creating and designing handmade jewelry for about four years. This is my first Avant-Garde Show and I am very excited!


I am a woman with deep spiritual beliefs. I admire the creative work of other artist-However my jewelry is GOD inspired which, make each piece unique and special. One day I looked everywhere for a certain kind of earring to suite my personality and style.  I never found them. As a result, I decided to purchase my own beads and materials to make the earrings that I wanted. Shortly after a woman prayed for me. She prayed for the creative ability in me to come forward. I have created and designed one-of-a-kind, handmade jewelry ever since.  I discovered I had a gift, a talent a new hobby. This particular talent caught the attention of friends and family and random strangers. What I love most about this talent is that it captures the attention of people for different countries and cultures.  This is how I got started ever since I have been inspired to create one of kind pieces.

 

I would use the word “random” to describe my creative process. Usually, I am divinely inspired and then I create! My creation is for both men and women.  I create bracelets, necklaces, magnetic broaches, earrings, and body chains. Currently I sale my jewelry in consignment shops. I am in the process of expanding. In five years, I see my jewelry in national retail stores.  


The name of my Jewelry is R.I.P.E Connection Jewelry, R.I.P.E stands for Restoration, identity, Purpose and Effectiveness in Christ. Regardless of what a person may lose in life: they should stay connected to their purpose. One lost does not define a persons’ entire purpose in life. I experienced many lost. However, through Christ, I stay connected to my whole purpose. As result, I create one of kind pieces of jewelry. I want my jewelry to remind people that GOD can Restore lost, define Identity, clarify Purpose so they can be Effective in life.    



Meet Colleen Hanrahan from Crafts by the Handful…

My name is Colleen Hanrahan.  I live in Dublin and call it home now that I've been there for 20 years.  Last year I was married and became a mother to my 10 year old stepson.  I've been told that I like to stay busy because I also recently decided to start my own business of making homemade crafts endeavor which focuses on goodies for children. 


 I have been crafty all my life, but last Christmas I was given a phenomenal gift...my sewing machine.  Since then I have been unstoppable and after being told by enough friends and family that I should start selling my items, I decided that it was time.   This will be my first Avant-Garde show, and I'm very excited!

What inspires me is also what got me into this hobby.  I found that there were at least four close females in my life who were all pregnant at the same time. 
When I thought about a special gift I could make them, I started going a little crazy and making a lot of different items for them that would be useful.  I was blessed enough to have many other friends with young children who were willing to try and use different items I was making.  
I can't pinpoint a time I "discovered" my talent, but I was raised in a house with a mom who was always sewing.  She sewed a lot of the clothing that my sisters and I wore growing up.  Anytime as a teenager that I couldn't find the exact dress I wanted, my mom and I would go shopping for a pattern and fabric.  I can't say that I got my mom's seamstress talent, but she has always been there to answer questions that come up as I work and encourage my creativity in everything I make.


My creative process starts with a mission or an idea.  I try just one of something before deciding if its something that people would like to have and if I want to make a lot more.  I also get lots of ideas from people asking me for something they want or need for their family. Where do I see myself in 5 years?  I want to be known amongst my friends as the "baby lady".  I want to be the person they turn to whenever they are heading to a baby shower and the place they get items to support the early years of their own children.  I would love for it to become my job, but understand that could be a reach that extends farther than 5 years.  


The message behind my work is creating fun items for young children, even little boys!











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