Meet Maranda from Sew Randa...
My name is Maranda. I’m a self-taught seamstress and started sewing three years ago when I graduated college. I decided I needed a hobby and sewing was something I had been curious about for a while. I knew how to use a sewing machine and made most of my own Halloween costumes in college but when I graduated I wanted to try quilting. I liked the idea of making my own things. I have been doing craft shows for two years. This will be my fourth Avant-Garde show, and tenth show total.
Curiosity inspires me. I am always looking at different things to sew and if I am curious enough I will try and make a few. I’ve always had a creative mind. I am a Graphic Designer during the day and working with fabric is a change of pace. I took home economics in school, so I knew I could use a sewing machine. I wouldn’t say I discovered my talent, I would say it just happened. Sewing and creativeness is in my blood.
My creative process is an organized mess. My sewing room is never without fabric or strings on the floor. I usually start five projects at once and sometimes they get sewn and other times they just lay around. I definitely like the planning and cutting fabric for my projects the most. The message behind my work is creative and fun. In five years I hope to have a fabric store.
You can find me on Facebook at Facebook.com/SewRanda or on Etsy at SewRanda.etsy.com.
Meet Danielle Fredette from CalicoJoy...
Hi, my name is Danielle Fredette of CalicoJoy: Crocheted
Creations. By day I study toward my PhD in Electrical Engineering, and by night
I cook, visit with friends, volunteer with my local church, or curl up with my
husband and a good TV show and crochet. I have been quick and curious to try
out new crafting methods since I could read a set of instructions, and I’ve
been crocheting on and off ever since two patient grandmas sat down with eager
little me and taught me the basics. I’ve especially enjoyed the relaxing and
rewarding nature of this particular craft in the last few years as I’ve started
making gifts for friends: first snowy day hats and now baby blankets! March
will bring my first participation in an Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show. I am
excited to share my work locally and meet new people who enjoy similar things.
Although I absolutely enjoy the relaxation of the crafting
process, my real drive to create comes from the sense of accomplishment of
finishing a project with success. Beholding the finished product that I was
able to translate from inspiration to imagination to reality is a lot of fun.
The CalicoJoy business really started as a hobby, and I plan
to keep it that way by keeping things small. There is only so much crocheting
one person can do! However, I would love to get a better feel for what people
are looking for in order to better serve my little customer base. I see
CalicoJoy as a huge learning opportunity for me in the basics of the great
American tradition of the small business, as well as an artistic outlet.
I hope that through my work, both others and I will remember
to enjoy life’s little treasures with thankfulness: colors and textures, a walk
in the snow, a ball game, sweet babies, beautiful people, and the journey that
gets us from here to there. I desire CalicoJoy to be a quality local business
that will keep your family comfy, cozy, and in style!
Meet Kit Aikin from Lincoln Street Design...
My name is Kit Aikin. I’m the owner and creator of
Lincoln Street Design. Professionally, I am a social scientist, working in the
area of prescription drug regulation. Lincoln
Street Design is my creative outlet for jewelry and fiber works. I
create Memento Mori and other jewelry using recycled and upcycled hardware,
cast-off found objects, natural stones, antique portraits, and vintage
planetary and scientific photos.
I started making jewelry in
college in the 1980’s. I stopped for a while to finish my doctorate in psychology,
then started up again in 2010. This will be my second Avant-Garde show. This show is full of creative vendors,
offering a range of hand crafted items. I’m thrilled to be a part of it!
My brain is always full of ideas. I carry a sketchbook
with me at all times so I can jot them down. I am especially inspired by the costumes and accessories in old movies,
old photos, and vintage stores. I will come across an unusual bit of cabinet
hardware and think, wow, that would make an amazing necklace! Because I am
using pieces and parts gleaned from a variety of sources, each finished work is
one of a kind. The semi-precious stones
have a character, shape, and individual feel. There’s a spectacular rush when
you match the right piece with the right person.
I started by learning to sew, crochet, and knit from my
grandmother. I collected extra buttons from
her sewing box and bits and pieces of jewelry that others had discarded. I studied existing jewelry to see how it was put
together. A course in metalwork gave me
a better understanding of how much work goes into soldering and shaping metal. I’m drawn to the unusual, and my work
reflects that. My biggest challenge is
parting with pieces I have become attached to.
My jewelry design is self-taught. I wanted something different than the jewelry
I was seeing in stores, so I bought some crafting wire and combed through my
jewelry box for loose beads and broken pieces. I started by making delicate wire spiral earrings with beads and
leftover parts. My roommate promptly
bought them. Soon I was making earrings
for all my friends and selling them around campus. I loved being able to make people happy with
something pretty. From there, I started
participating in local craft shows, sharing my work with a broader audience.
I would describe my creative process as a combination of
science and spontaneity. I ask myself
how seemingly unrelated items might fit together. I am constantly looking for connections,
trying to see old things in new ways.
What happens if you turn it sideways or upside down? Lately I have been incorporating weathered
shells into my work. They have a
character all their own. Their organic
shape suggests ways in which the piece can be used to show off the natural
crevices and holes by adding semi-precious stones.
My long-term goal is to exhibit regularly at shows and find
an additional outlet in small boutiques and shops. The message behind my work is that nothing
is too broken or too strange to be beautiful.
Everyone deserves a piece of joy!
Meet Amy & Samuel Ledebuhr from the Witches Hearth..
We hail from both Ohio and the Land Up North (him, not me!) where we started our candle business and currently reside. While my husband is great with our customer and business relations, I am more apt with the creation of our products. Getting into crafting was never difficult for me, I've been a well equipped seamstress for a long time, and trying out new crafting projects has always been enjoyable even if a project hasn't turned out quite as one would hope.
Candle making is one of the newest ventures for both of us and was only stumbled across while looking for work that I could do at home. Many trials and errors, as well as samples for family and friends, were done while creating the desired scents and products before we attended our first show. A lot of time and patience goes in to making the candles, scouting alternative containers, designing the packaging and sorting through the fine details of the business aspect of it, but every part of it has been enjoyable work to do!
When creating scent pairings and designing the final look of our products, we try to remain open minded to all uses, needs and wants, potential customers may have for candles. Whether they be meditation/spiritual or intended for home decor. We also like the idea of becoming a green company and have already began the steps to maintaining that idea by being pro-recycle and pro-reuse. We aim to provide our candles in a variety of reusable containers, from glasses and tins, to vintage cups and jars, and our shopper bags. Our labels and candle boxes are made from recycled materials, as well as are recyclable after use (this made the final decision in the style and design we present in our packaging). We are also able to offer emailed invoices and receipts for purchases, instead of paper invoices or receipts, for our customers that too may be eco friendly themselves.
Our candles are made of a natural soy wax, grown and processed here in the U.S., and contain only fragrance oils with a limited selection of products having dye; because we don't include wax specific additives our candles and melts will retain their natural frosting which we have always found visiually pleasing. Our alternative/vintage candle containers vary, and will have limited scents not available through our online shop.
Along with our candles and wax melts, we carry other scented items, such as satchels and gels, and some home decor and vintage collectibles, though our candles do remain our primary product.
The Witches Hearth was officially started in August of 2014 and though it's still very new, we've already had the pleasure of attending various art/craft/holiday shows in Michigan, and are looking forward to attending many more in the coming years!
For the future of The Witches Hearth, we'd love to see it expand! Ideally, we would love to see the business open into a candle and gift retail shop. However, we do enjoy traveling to shows. We are looking to put more focus into earning a stronger footing for the business. This will be our first time attending Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows and we're looking forward to expanding our business into Ohio!
We can be found at:
2015 Columbus Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, March 28, 2015, 10:00am-4:00pm
St. Agatha's Parish Hall
For more information, contact Becki@ag-shows.com
