You know me. I don’t usually fall for Cute… but this is the cutest pincushion ever and even my cold flinty heart cannot resist it!!

By Jen Segrest.

Erika Jurney is the founder of Try Handmade. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook, or learn more about her love of the handmade.

Tell me about your businesses.

I sew and print leather and fabric! I also own and run a small all handmade boutique here in Southern Illinois called Dayshift.

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

I moved from Chicago to Carbondale, Il in February of 2008. I bought a sewing machine on the way down from my now good friend Jamie. She was working at Joann Fabrics at the time, and helped me pick out a machine and everything I needed to get started. As luck would have it, she was teaching sewing classes as well, and I learned everything I know from her! She now owns an amazing independent music store called the Practice Pad next to my boutique/studio. I still run next store for sewing advice, she helped me pull a dress apart today.

I had no skills before this at all! I just wanted to learn to take care of things myself, I had no idea it would turn into a career, but I am so thankful that I found out what I love and get to do it everyday!

Is there a story behind the name of your shop?

In Blue is from the Bob Dylan song Tangled Up In Blue, dayshift is from the Bob Dylan song Subterranean Homesick Blues. I got the names while driving to and from craft stores and singing along to my ipod very loudly.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

I spend quite a bit of time with the other artists who have work in my shop, and while I usually create my items alone, I am constantly bouncing ideas off of the many talented artists I know. Dayshift has 40 local artists work on display, so I see each of them all the time…we are constantly sharing our skills with one another and brainstorming new ideas together!

My family is the best family in the whole world :) My dad spends time on ebay checking for great deals on supplies, he is a master at secretly picking out what I need and shipping it to my studio (including my amazing 1957 salmon pink antique leather sewing machine). My mom is awesome, she is super proud of me, I honestly could not ask for a better support system! Hi Mom and Dad! My friends and my boyfriend are also the best in the whole world, they have been so supportive of this endeavor, from laying my floor in my new shop to spending late nights with me in the store working and helping, I couldn’t ask for more!

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

www.inblue.etsy.com and Dayshift, a handmade boutique, and countless handmade boutiques across the United States, Canada, and Australia! I like craft fairs a lot, its so fun to see new people and get to interact with them in person (the food is always awesome too). I love online selling as well! I love the fact that I can be selling things while I sleep, eat, walk the dogs…pretty cool! I don’t think anything is better than selling things in my boutique though, its such a rewarding feeling to know that its mine and that people love it :)

Do you have any favorite handmade shops or sellers you’d like to recommend?

My friend Katherine’s shop is awesome! www.happysolez.etsy.com

My friend Emily’s site is also awesome!
www.ekra.etsy.com

Check out Andrea LeBeau’s site, she is new to etsy!
www.andrealebeau.etsy.com

What inspires and motivates you?

My landlord :) Friends, family, my boyfriend, my dogs, music, books, traveling, and sleeping…I love the pond in my backyard, I get some of my best ideas there!

What do you wish I had asked you?

“Do you have any advice for artists who want to quit their day job?”

You can do it! I worked overnights at steak n shake when I first opened my shop to make ends meet. It was hard work, I never slept, but I didn’t give up, and now I get to do what I love full time. I think everyone should be able to do what they love!

Thanks Mary Lynn! And if you want to be interviewed next, just head over to DIY Interview.

Erika Jurney is the founder of Try Handmade. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook, or learn more about her love of the handmade.

I really like to be connected–to be aware of other people in the world, how they’re doing, what they’re doing. But what I like even more than being connected to people is being able to have a positive impact, however small. The handmade global-community gives us a way to help each other. And so, with that in mind, today’s feature is about three creative people living in Santiago, Chile. Not long after the tragedy in Haiti, an even bigger one struck in Chile. In Santiago, the nation’s capital, the people have suffered enormous loss. They need the global community to get involved, to lend a hand, to pay attention.

These little kitties might look sweet, but in dreams cat’s represent feminine strength. In Moira’s shop cronopia6 you’ll find Matruskyas, pirates, brooches, and baby things, but these colorful cats are my favorites. Meow—I mean—Miau! She also runs specials where you can get one of these little kitties for free with a purchase of another item from her shop.

Natalia Saldias makes these pretty earrings with horse hair and silver, which is a traditional South American technique. Her designs are all so intricate, and each one is a unique and creative expression.

Christina of ethnicdesign fashions these scarves using a free form technique. I can appreciate that since I’ve basically been using the garter stitch for my entire knitting career. I like the idea that you don’t have to follow the rules to get something beautiful. It’s a bit like fiber joyeria.

There are certainly other ways to help Chile recover from this tragedy, but we can support these local sellers, and perhaps by doing so our love will trickle out to the rest of the country, to all of the people who are struggling with destruction and loss. I believe that the human spirit is strong, and that Chile will heal itself–but I also know for certain that they can not do it without us. So spread the love, and support Chile.

Emily is the author of three books, mother of two small children, wife to one husband, and designer living in New York City. Emily also writes about the creative life, and her pursuit of all things that are good with style on her blog http://www.emilyanderson.com.

Spring is looming. Easter baskets. Hatless outings. Critters creeping out from hibernation. Clearly inspiration is also striking. Take a lookat these awesome stuffed toys from SleepyKing! I’ve fallen in love with all their stuffies, from the bunnies to the foxes to the adorable squirrels.

Equally sweet are their vegan Woodland Owl headbands. I love the somewhat 20’s vibe these have. They make me think “flapper” in a whole new way.

If you are looking for unusual Easter basket goodies or a way to wake up your wardrobe and your children’s playspace this spring, be sure to check out Sleepyking’s Etsy shop. It’s dreamy!

Ciaran is a crafter, writer and shopper. Her children's clothing line Francie Pants was born in her garage on an old serger. She prescribes retail therapy for the masses on a daily basis on her shopping blog Popshopology.

Kristin Beltz is an amazing photographer, but more importantly an amazing person! She is so full of life and appreciates the natural beauty around her. I think she captures this emotion so well in her work. She is an Island Girl who loves to Run, Bike and Swim. She enjoys working with plants and enjoys everything to do with being outdoors. She loves animals and is especially fond of Boxers. This first photo is bursting with bright color! It makes me want to get out into the garden.

Kristin has a wonderful ability to capture the magical quality in simple pleasures. I love the out of focus background that lays behind the simple pine needles. Perfection!

Once again, here is another example of how Kristin makes a single green leaf become a beautiful piece of art!

Kristin states, “I like playing around with the lighting during the day to see what type of shots I come up with. There is a beautiful field of these Daisies on the next road over and on Sunday I went down there and shot from different angels. I liked the deeper tones I got from this shot. I like the pretty bokehed blossoms. This wasn’t intended to be in focus, I used another focal point to get the bokehed Daisies. I intended to create a textured feel and a lingering memory sort of feeling.”

Thank you Krisitn for sharing you talent with us. You are truly an inspiration to us all. You may view more of her work on Flickr.

Laura Trevey is a watercolor artist and blogger. You can view her work here and get daily inspiration about art, photography, fashion and design on her popular blog Bright, Bold, and Beautiful. Follow her on Facebook too.

I’ll be honest. I have an apron and I never wear it. I just don’t cook that way. But these aprons are so pretty I could see them over a tshirt and jeans this summer. So arty-chic ;)

Decorative Instincts specializes in fashion-forward accessories for the home. All items are designed by the owners and hand crafted in our Chicago studio. Our love of textiles and beautiful embellishments make the difference in our designs. We believe even the most mundane items should be beautiful and reflect your personal style. Our goal is to help you create your ideal environment.

Erika Jurney is the founder of Try Handmade. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook, or learn more about her love of the handmade.

I handcraft pirate treasure maps and pirate treasure kits for all the little pirates of the world. I prematurely age a sheet of canvas and lay the artwork down with inks and hand letter everything. they make very unique gifts for those who like their kids to engage in creative play at least some of the time. Video games and tv are fine if they are balanced with creative and imaginative games that all children are capable of.

I also make notebooks out of vintage record album covers and various types of boxboard (like cereal boxes). The remnants of what I cut from cereal and other dry goods boxes are hand punched to make little scalloped shaped tags for gifts or price tags etc. It is a great way to recycle and people think they are cool ideas.

I have also been making and selling primitive hang tags for years.

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

I have always been creative and willing to try new things. I have not, however, always been successful. I failed horribly at knitting for example. I did mosaic art for quite a while, cutting all of my own pieces from vintage dinner plates. I really loved the 70’s retro colors but did a lot of cottage chic type of pieces because they were hot sellers at that time.

I did some work with digital graphics for a few years as well during that same time. I then had my son and those two things were just too demanding on my time.

I transitioned into some recycled projects, the primitive hang tags and my latest passion for the pirate treasure maps.

Is there a story behind the name of your shop?
Maya is the name of our family dog. A border collie. I started an ebay account years ago and called it mayasmomma, that transitioned into a store and then I started selling on Etsy and I decided to stick with the name to make it easier for customers to follow me.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

I work alone for the most part on the crafts. My husband helps when I need him to but he is the biggest help indulging my son at those moments when I really need to get work done. My dad is a constant help to me with the primitive hang tags. He is in charge of stringing them up for me which just takes time that I do not always have. He loves to be able to help me and I usually need it!

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

I sell mainly online.

I do a few craft shows per year around the holidays.

I like the interactions with the Etsy members. So many creative minds in one place is very empowering and motivating.

Do you have any favorite handmade shops or sellers you’d like to recommend?

My favorite for quality, handmade knit items: The PunkyToe Co.

What inspires and motivates you?

I am often motivated by others. I am encouraged by friends and family because they think I have a talent for being crafty-licious in general. I try many things and when I can make one work I focus on it until I feel it is something that others would covet.

What do you wish I had asked you?

“Did you ever attempt a new craft that you could never get the hang of?”

I once had this idea to learn to knit so that I could make and sell “matching people and pet scarves”…I really wanted my fur child and I to be wearing matching scarves when we went for walks. FLOP. I couldn’t learn to knit to save my life. I did find someone to knit matching scarves for me.

Snort. I think that’s a great idea even though my crazy dog would just eat her scarf ;) Thanks Anne! And if you would like to be interviewed next, just head over to DIY Interview.

Erika Jurney is the founder of Try Handmade. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook, or learn more about her love of the handmade.

There was a time when I would think of the big city, and certain words would automatically come to mind: fast-paced, progressive, industrial, crowds, anonymity, grit, grime. But now, having visited Sister Arts Studio in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, other words come to mind as well: community, families, connections, creativity. This is because I found a place in the big city where all those things take place, and from what I can tell, the big city loves it.

Sister Arts Studio is the brainchild of Donna Palicka and her fifteen year old daughter, Ona Gleichman. A true “labor of love” in every sense of the phrase, Sister Arts, or SASI as it is also known, is more than just a craft shop. It has become the place where families congregate to meet other families, step out of anonymity, and develop bonds as they explore their creativity.

It was while she was busy successfully climbing the corporate ladder that Donna had an epiphany, and decided to make a change in her life. “I worked as and interior designer for a prestigious Chicago architectural firm for 21 years,” Donna told me. “The profession was tough, not very family-friendly. I was working 60-hour weeks, traveling. When really what I wanted was to raise my own child. I wanted it all. A career and to be an active parent.”

As it turned out, her daughter, along with critical world events, are what caused Donna to come to the decision to leave her corporate career behind and start anew. “I’m a designer, my husband’s an architect, and I saw that my daughter from a very young age showed a great amount of creativity. She was drawing pictures at 18 months. So I always tried to expose her to creative pursuits.

“But then 9/11 happened, and I realized that my child was going to grow up in a world filled with war, when I didn’t. I came full circle. You climb the ladder, and get to the top and . . .” She pauses, “something’s lacking. It’s not worth it.”

The shop is in its fifth year of business and going strong. Donna and her “sisters” offer classes in knitting, crochet, wet felting, needle felting, shibori, needle-point, weaving, jewelry-making, beading, hairpin lace, and machine sewing. The sisters include an impressive list of craft experts, all of whom Donna met through the shop, who proved to have the knowledge and personality to work with children and adults using Donna’s philosophy of teaching love. “I grew up with four brothers and no sisters, so these talented women are like sisters to me.”

“Teaching love is my calling. I was a busy parent. The city is full of busy parents. And I saw that what was lacking in the community was a place where a parent and child, or a group of kids could come to do something to help create a bond. I’m now working in the school systems, doing after school programs for the public, private and parochial schools.”

The shop offers a wide variety of classes for adults and children. Donna even does birthday parties. “I’m set up to entertain! I do parties for children as young as two and on up. We do a craft project, and I do all the clean up. It’s everything a parent could want. I make craft kits, so parents can come in with their kids and buy a kit and use the studio space. I provide all the additional tools or materials you might need.”

SASI also hosts creative camps, the most popular of which include machine sewing and the “ugly dolls” workshops which have as many boy fans as girls. Donna tries to offer projects that kids might not necessarily get in a school art class. Ugly doll making, mask-making, and painting on canvas are just to name a few.

“We also expanded our adult class list. We’ve had a Thursday night knitting circle since the beginning, and it has really become an event where life-long friendships are being formed. We offer many knitting classes for adults from novice to advanced. Jewelry-making classes, weaving, felting. And we are also a crochet-friendly yarn shop.”

“I love seeing moms come in with their kids, and meet other moms, and form those relationships that we as women really need. I love working with adults and doing knit-a-longs too. It’s kind of hard to find a knit-a-long pattern that will appeal to a wide variety of people, but we’ve definitely had some success in those. But my focus remains on kids and families, to teach parents how to create a bond with their child through creativity. I teach love.”

The other sisters of Sisters Arts Studio are:

Angela Lyonsmith
Anne Lenzini
Laila Korn
Emelia Lesser
Alexis Crowell
Lynda Weinstock
Emily Pick
Christina Court
Judith Querciagrossa
Natalie Boyett
Marissa Edwards
Jocelyn Ou
Laura Meyers
Denise Handwerker

Sister Arts Studio, 721 W. Wrightwood, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Phone: 1+773-929-7274

On the web: http://sisterartsstudio.com

Angela Walters writes about her adventures (and misadventures) in crafting with fibers on her blog Pocketfulla Posy. You can also visit her shop, Posy Moe. Follow her on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Sauces, dressings, salsas, chutneys, spices, rubs; depending on how you look at it they’re either my guilty little pleasures or my best kept secret weapons.

The fact of the matter is local, fresh, artisan eating can be boring. I think it’s what turns so many people away. Especially today when quick and convenience, for many, are not self-indulgent luxuries but rather must-haves just to get by.

Sure, it can be both convenient and exciting, but few of us have the pocket book to back such a diet in its entirety, myself included. And void those funds one can only eat so much cabbage before wishing that cabbage itself was extinct, after all. That is, unless of course, one has a pantry so chock-full of sauces, dressings and spices that cabbage is never really cabbage; potatoes are never just potatoes and even brussel sprouts become beautiful and awe-inspiring.

I believe this so whole heartedly, in fact, that many of my friends have stopped asking me for recipes. And not just because they know everything will be measured in handfuls, dashes and ‘just drizzle a little in’s either. They’ve simply started asking me what sauce I put on it this time instead, because that, when it comes right down to it is the recipe.

Toss it, drizzle it, brush it on. Want an exciting socially and environmentally sound meal in less than thirty? Get creative. Toss chopped cabbage with an Asian inspired dressing and serve it beside grilled, pastured poultry that was basted in the same or similar; Brush halved brussel sprouts with a spicy mustard and drizzle with olive oil before roasting in the oven; baste some grass-fed pork with your favorite jam and grill or oven bake until just done and still juicy.

Three of the most exciting sauces on Foodzie right now — all on my list to try next — are Terra Verde Farm’s Peach-Pear-Apple Hot Sauce, Uncle Berch’s Jimmie’s Mixed Berries and Chipotle Jam (destined for the pork as outlined above, if you’re interested), and Anija’s Finnish Style Mom’s Mustard.

However you apply it, as they say, the proof is in the pudding — or in this case, the flavor is in the sauce. What are your favorite quick and easy flavor enhancers?

Diana Prichard is a homegrown and artisan food junkie, freelance writer and wanna-be homesteader living in rural Michigan. You can find more on her work and life at dianaprichard.com, follow her on Twitter or friend her on Facebook.

Nothing better than white space on a computer screen that needs to be filled up as far as I’m concerned… I feel lucky, because as a freelance web designer I have a lot of time to think and to ponder as I’m putting together designs for this and that. As I was putting together the images for this post I couldn’t help but think of “blooming” and what that means to me… What truly nurtures my soul and makes me feel happy and free – the moments where I feel most alive. (Pictured above – Jewelry from Thumble.)

The enchantment of a dusky summer evening, unexpectedly wading in a creek on a broiling summer day, time spent with my closest friends and family. In my day to day work life keeping an outlook that is unerringly positive does wonders for me. Seeing beautiful works that others have created inspires me and invigorates me. Finally, being challenged is of so much importance to me. Trying out new things and making progress in them helps me keep my spark and drive.

Each of the talented makers I’m featuring today inspire me too… Lori’s flower photo, #1 above – available here in her shop – is delicate and beautiful. The name of the print says it all – “Alone”. YumiYumi clearly has a sense of whimsy and fun – that can be seen in each of her colourful prints (#2 above). The bottom flower picture, #3 by HeyZee is a soft and dreamy look at a dahlia. The camisole featured in the bottom right photo is the work of designer Patricia Valery – who in addition to designing clothes finds the time to play the piano and the fiddle too.

So what was to be a post about design and style has taken some unexpected twists and turns! I’d love to hear more about you if you’d like to share. What makes you feel alive, what nurtures you and drives you forward?

Amy also writes on her own blog, Handmade Evolution, and has an Etsy shop featuring original art prints: Field Trip. You can follow her on Twitter.