Today is the Day!

Meet Jamie Henry from Fine Paper Greetings...
I returned to college later in life to obtain a B.S. in Graphic Design, Visual Fine Art, which lead to my print graphic design freelance career. I enjoy the print side of the design world, but I wanted to also create paper items. It is the texture, the layering, the design with die cuts, and the final creation that brings a smile to someone’s day that gives me joy. My in-home paper crafting studio is complete with ultra-premium paper, cards, envelopes, and any other crafting / creating tool you can imagine. I’ve been doing this for 15 years.

This will be my first as a vendor at Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show, which I am thoroughly excited to participate and so humbled to be included. 

What inspires me to create? A new die cut, a new pad of paper, or a specific color of paper I’ve been wanting to use. I challenge myself at times with trying to use perhaps only two colors (including the various shades of that color) to create a “Coffee Today” card or a fun pet card.

 

How I got into my craft.. My mother and grandmother were my inspiration - each were unbelievably crafty at a time when craft supplies were limited and you had to be creative with what you had on hand - a cardboard tissue box became beautiful backgrounds on cards, tags, and journals. I still use the patterns from tissue boxes for my greeting cards - I just cannot throw any piece of paper away!

How I discovered my talent.. As a young child, I “designed” greeting cards for several nursing homes as my grandmother was a volunteer - I wanted to give the residents a little smile as so many of them seemed lonely. I wanted them to know someone cared. My cards, tags, gift bags, etc., anything from paper, I use to brighten someone’s day. Through the nursing home creation years ago, I was fortunate enough to continue creating paper items.

 

My creative process. As an “organized” individual, I create themed cards - “Coffee Today” is what I’m creating currently, as seen on my website of www.finepapergreetings.com, as well as pet cards. I want my die cuts to tell the story as many of my cards do not contain words, or if any words are included, it is perhaps one or two. I want the card to speak for itself - the joy of opening the envelope, seeing the creation, then the layers of texture to bring the card to life. There are days when it may take five hours to create a single card as I’m very particular about color-coordination, layering of die cuts, and the placement of the die cuts. 

My five year plan.. Continued growth in the paper world - creating series of cards, personalizing cards and invitations for clients, and working with organizations through donations of my cards to inspire younger people to create through paper.

 

The message behind my work.. “Creativity Through Paper” - a text message, an email, or a post is fine, but to receive an envelope in the mail with your name, opening that envelope and seeing a card someone purchased just for you, then reading the message inside - that would make my day! The cards and all paper items I create are only items I would purchase myself. The creative process can be difficult, but it is most rewarding when a client is excited about her 30 “Coffee Today” cards she wants to send out for her coffee brunch party. 

Meet Palestina Jaber from Turath...

My name is Palestina Jaber, 31 years old, and a mom of two little girls! I’ve been in the US for seven years now and within those years I worked as a clerk, a school tutor, a teller, and a banker! After giving birth, a month earlier than due date, to my eight-months baby, I had lots of medical issues that required physical therapy and stopped me from working as a banker! Now that my baby is not as needy as a newborn is, I had lots of free time and that’s when I started designing and embroidering! It was the dream that I had to put aside for so long due to work but now that I’m no longer working, I reached out to my family and friends back in my homeland, Palestine and we started talking about embroidery projects, meanings of patterns, and relationships to surroundings! And that’s how Turath was born! 

Palestinian embroidery is something that is passed down from my grandmother to my mom and hopefully to my daughters! It’s the means of transferring cultural stories about Palestinian nature to future generations, so it’s been a while that I knew how to do but just recently got dedicated to! I just started Turath in the last four months, and this is going to be my first AG show and my second participation in events around me! 

Palestinian embroidery, with all the symbolism and hidden meanings of patterns, requires a lengthy process! Before creating any piece, I have to think out the motif I want to address, search for the right symbols and representations, create patterns, design the piece, pick colors, and finally start embroidering! Then the process of embroidering starts; a process that requires lots of effort and time as it’s all handmade! The outcome, though, is a piece that’s a one-of-a-kind and made with love! 

Right now I’m establishing a new brand that aims at serving, preserving, and repurposing Palestinian art of embroidery! 15% of product profits is donated to help pay off student debts in Palestinian universities as a way to give back to my homeland community! In five years, I want to see my startup expanding to make bigger piece products like dresses, jackets and shoes! I want to create collections for every season of the year instead of currently making individual products that are mainly accessories! 

Meet Gail Messick from Bambanani Africa Crafts...

I am a retired Dental Hygienist who then served in the Peace Corps from 2010-2014 in the small southern African kingdom of Eswatini.  While there, I connected with a group of volunteer community healthcare workers who wanted to learn how to make something to sell.  The products I market are the result of our partnership.  

Since my return to the US in 2014, I have been marketing their products.  I return to Eswatini for 2-3 months each year to work on product development and then bring new products back to the US to sell.  ALL proceeds from my sales are securely returned to the artisans themselves. This is my first Avant-Garde show

What inspires me to create. I am inspired by witnessing the transformation of the women I work with and helping to bring out the creative spirit within them.  

How I got into this craft.. I've enjoyed sewing since I was 12, and have dabbled in various crafts ever since.

How I discovered my talent.. My talent has evolved over the years, but in this endeavor, my talent is in patiently encouraging unskilled but motivated individuals to discover their inner talents

My creative process.. Through lots of trial and error, attention to detail and responding to the reactions of others, together we continue to improve.

My five year goal.. In 5 years, I hope to develop more leadership among the artisans themselves so that they control more of the business and its profits.

The message behind my work: Empowering women with skills and support which enables them to generate income, while working from home.