My name is
Jessica Parks and I’m 29 years old. I’m a U.S. Navy Veteran and spent most of
my enlistment stationed in Atsugi, Japan. I graduated from The Ohio State
University with a degree in Psychology and just recently became a mother, which
has been very exciting!
I have loved pictures my whole life. I love
taking pictures, I love looking at pictures, and I LOVE scrapbooking. When I
was 14, my mother bought me my first scrapbook. I remember it well. It came in
a kit and I was so excited about it. I still have it, of course and since then,
I have made approximately 30 more scrapbooks of just my own photos. I love
scrapbooking so much that I thought it would be a great idea to use my skills
to help others with their own.
Not everyone has the time, tools, or space it
takes to create the book they have in mind and my small business, Memories Made
Extraordinary, LLC offers complete scrapbook pages or entire scrapbooks in
which all my customers have to do is add their own photos to personalize them.
I just started my business in October of 2013 and this is my first season as a
craft show vendor. My small business has come such a long way in only a year
and I’m very excited to see where it goes. Ideally, I would love to have a
space in which I could offer cropping sessions, classes and more.
The message
behind my work is the importance of memories. Some people keep journals and
that is their way of reminiscing about certain times in their lives… but you
may not want your children and grandchildren necessarily reading your journals.
However, you, your children, grandchildren and generations after, can all
appreciate looking through family photo albums and telling the stories behind
the photos.
Thank you for taking the time to read about me and my business and
of course, if you are interested in my work, you can view my portfolio at my
website:jessmparks.wix.com/memories.
Meet Kitti Tolles from Kick Azz Glass...
Kick
Azz Glass
was formed when my daughter, Peggy and I, Kitti, decided to learn
flame-working, fusing and slumping. We
are both artistically inclined, I as a painter and her through welding. From the first time we wrapped that liquid
glass around those steel mandrels we were hooked into creating glass
beads.
We
have just begun our journey into entrepreneurship. As well as creating and designing pieces of
jewelry that are totally unique to show case our beads. It has been an amazing adventure for us.
Later
we had a blast rummaging through the many scraps of glass, picking odd bits and
pieces that we put together to be fused and then slumped into a dish (mine) and
bowl (Peggy's). I opted for total
abstract in my design, but Peggy created a tree scene.
What
inspires us to create is our vivid imaginations coupled with our inner drives,
all swept along by rock & roll. We
are the new kids on the Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show circuit. After chatting with Becki through emails we
decided that her show is perfect for our “Kick Azz Glass” debut.
It is our sincere hope that you all enjoy our
efforts. Visit us often at www.KickAzzGlass.com where you can design
your own special piece.
Meet Carol Wass from Studio Wass...
I am
actually a practicing commercial real estate broker that spends every spare
minute in my thrown together studio. I am a first time "Nana"
to my grandson Charlie (now 2 ½ years old and a soon to be “Nana” to a new
granddaughter – due Christmas Eve.) I am
married to my wonderful husband David and we have 3 children, Caroline (husband
Andrew), David Jr. and Robert. We currently reside in Galena, Ohio.
I have
been an artist nearly all my life. In high school I spent alot of my time
in the art department. Upon graduating, I received a scholarship to
attend CCAD (Columbus College of Art & Design). I went for one year
then then got busy with life and shelved my talents for quite some time. Every couple years my creativeness would pop out.
Several years ago, our
daughter was getting married and she asked if I would help design her wedding
invitation. Well that did it. I designed a Chicago skyline (which
is where they live) and that was it. Now I cannot seem to stop getting new
ideas out of my head.
I keep a
small journal with me all the time so I can sketch things or write down
ideas. My only real issue with being an artist is that I just never seem
to have enough time. I can spend hours in my studio and lose track of
time. I hope I can keep at this as long as my fingers and eyes will
let me.
I like trying new
things and as with any art given some practice, it always gets
better. I love drawing, watercolor, papercrafting, jewelry and most
recently I have been working in Polymer clay with figurines and other designs.
Meet Ragan Davis from Aster and Indigo ...
I grew up in Georgia in a very
arts and crafts-oriented family. After studying economics and jazz guitar at
Georgia State University, I took a job that moved me to Columbus, Ohio. I knit,
play guitar, and cook in my free time. There’s nothing I love more than
experimenting with a new recipe, creating music, or making something wearable
and fun with my own two hands!
I have been doing this for about a decade but this will be my first Avant-Garde
show! I couldn’t be more excited.
I’m really inspired by the yarn I use
itself. A ball of yarn seems like a world of possibilities. I try to create
things that show off how beautiful the fibers in the yarn already are.
My mother is very crafty, so I have been as well since I was a child. I would
try to hand-sew skirts for my barbies, do origami, make beaded flowers, all
kinds of things growing up. I’ve always enjoyed creating things with my own
hands, so I’ve always kept it up.
I learned to crochet from my mother
and grandmother. A friend taught me to knit in 7th grade, and I was hooked! Soon my mom
was knitting with me, too, and I must have made about 5,000 scarves that year.
Over time I learned to make more complicated items and use more complicated
patterns.
I start by picking out the yarn and
try to pair it with a pattern and detailing (lace, suede, etc.) that compliment
the beauty of the fiber. I love working with Merino wool and baby alpaca.
They’re both so soft and warm, and I love thinking about the process through
which they’re made while I’m knitting. I use a lot of yarns that are
kettle-dyed, which is such an interesting process!
I’d really love to get more involved
with craft fairs in the next few years and sell my items through local
businesses as well. The “buy local” and “shop small business” movements are
growing, which is really exciting.
The messages behind my work are quality of craftsmanship and supporting small businesses.
I source my yarns from local knit shops, and one of the yarns I use a lot is
sourced from a certified fair-trade organization that helps women in Uruguay
find larger markets for their handspun wool. How well you execute the making of
a knit item is of course very important, but I think it’s important to start
with really high quality materials as well.
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