Thursday, July 30, 2009

Spotlight on Etsy Greetings Street Team Member Cards and Moore by Terri

Cards and Moore by Terri is the perfect Etsy shop name. The “and Moore” says it all. This very creative and talented lady puts her love of family and life back into her creations. She is not afraid to try new techniques and she enjoys sharing her tips and tricks in very instructional videos on her blog. I just completed her video on “watercolor wash” and it was very inspiring.

Enjoy this interview, visit her shop and blog, and let her know just how special she is!


How did you get your start in the world of art?
I have always been a very artsy person. When I was a kid I loved to get new art supplies and was always doing art projects. I have done a lot of different kinds of art in my life, but I started stamping four years ago and have really taken to it.

Do you have a ritual you perform before you start creating?
Not really. I usually have an idea of what I want to do before I start though.

What do you like best, the creative process or the final creation?
Usually the final creation. I also find the creative process relaxing sometimes too, as long as I know what I want to do.

What are your favorite art media, tools, and supplies?
That's a hard one. Probably would be the rubber stamps.

When a creative block happens, what process do you go through to get the creative juices flowing again?
I go blog hopping, look at catalogs, and use goggle a lot.


What do you hope your art says about you?
That I am a very creative person.

What is your greatest dream and greatest fear as an artist?
My greatest dream as an artist is to be able to sell my work and make a living at it. My greatest fear is physically losing the ability to create.

What are your goals in art, and in life?
To be able to sell my work and be happy with what I am creating.

Tell us a little bit about yourself—where you grew up, your life now, other creative pursuits, other interests and hobbies.
I was born and raised in Denver, CO 40 yrs ago. I still live here today and have never lived anywhere else. I now live with my husband Rich, my daughter Emilia, and our two fur kids, not far from the house I grew up in. I have always been a very artsy person. I also played the piano, the guitar, and sang in local theater and singing competitions as a teen. I started my own baking business right after high school and ran it with my Mom’s help for about three years. I stopped doing it because we could not afford the commercial kitchen space to expand, and I was getting burned out. I ended up being a nanny after that for six years. I went to nail school during that time too and became a manicurist. I have been doing nails out of my home for over 15 years now. I also home school my daughter as well. My other interests include knitting, crocheting, quilting, baking/cooking, watching reality TV shows and reading biographies about famous people.


Do you have more than one Etsy shop and/or other online shops, or a blog?
Cards & Moore By Terri on Etsy;
My blog is Life With Terri;
My ArtFire shop is http://terrbear38.artfire.com/;
and my 1000 Markets shop is http://cardsmoorebyterri.1000markets.com/.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Etsy Greetings Street Team Member Angela with PhotoGreetings


Photo Greetings was created out of Angela’s love of keeping in touch with her family and friends. And she has brought her creations to you. You can now have the same opportunity to share with your family and friends. Her art (that I have posted in this blog) can become your favorite design with your photos. Let Angela know what message you want to convey: wedding or birth announcements, baby shower or birthday party, or whatever your need, Angela has the God-given talent.

Check out her blog also. She may have to give up the writing of her blog due to time constraints. She and her husband are in the process of adoption. Would you like to know how that process is going for her and her family? I know I would. “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back.” Leave a message to her here in the comments. You can also visit her blog. She is requesting 50 comments to keep her blog alive. I was the first. Enjoy!

How did you get your start in the world of art?
We grew up without a television, and my mom was always doing crafty things with us. She taught me a love for crafting, and God gave me a natural eye for art, so between the two, I turned out the way I did...I had no choice. :-)

Do you have a ritual you perform before you start creating?
No, I just pray for inspiration and hope that someone loves my creations as much as I do.

What do you like best, the creative process or the final creation?
That's a tough question to answer. I think I may have to say the final creation, as in the final image, with my customer's photo in it. It always gives me a thrill to know how much someone LOVED what I did with their photo and my design.



What are your favorite art media, tools, and supplies?
I really enjoy using my computer to create. Finding new designs to use in my creations is a lot of fun. But, I do more than just create on the computer when it comes to "art." I love scrapbooking, card-making, jewelry making, counted cross stitch, and sewing, so there's loads of supplies I like.

When a creative block happens, what process do you go through to get the creative juices flowing again?
I pray hard, and I take a look at other photo greeting card sites to get some inspiration.

What do you hope your art says about you?
I hope that my arts says that I have a passion and a love for what I do, as well as an eye for great design.

What is your greatest dream and greatest fear as an artist?
My greatest dream as an artist is that I could make a living off of what I sell each month...or at least enough to help supplement my husband's income. I also would love to have a big LOCAL customer base.
My greatest fear as an artist is not ever being able to create again, for whatever reason.

What are your goals in art, and in life?
My goals in life are to be the best wife and mom that God has created me to be, and to glorify Christ in all that I do. I also would love to eventually have a piece of property (about 100 acres), where we have a big house and lots of room for kids to run. We are hoping to be able to adopt more children. We would love to have some animals, a big garden, and a tree swing. We'd love to have our parents living on the same property so that we can help take care of them.
My goals in art are to learn how to be proficient in Photoshop, and to learn how to design in Photoshop CS3. I also would like to learn how to take awesome photographs.

Tell us a little bit about yourself—where you grew up, your life now, other creative pursuits, other interests and hobbies.
I grew up as an Air Force brat, and one of 6 kids. We lived in Washington state, Missouri, Nebraska, Okinawa, and finally New Mexico, where my dad retired. My mom instilled in me a love for travel (we would take a great road trip vacation each summer, visiting loads of cool places along the way.), a love for cooking, a love for crafts, and a love for American history. I spent 20 years in New Mexico, where I had my son, who is 15 years old and is a high-functioning special needs kid, having been born with 1/2 a heart, and having had 5 strokes before age 3. In 2003, I met my husband on eHarmony. We married in 2004, and my son and I moved from New Mexico to northern California...one of the LAST places I ever wanted to live (but now I love it here, except for the HIGH cost of living). Just this last year, we got a little boy placed in our home for adoption, and the adoption was complete in March of 2009. We are truly blessed with great family, wonderful friends, and a small apartment CLOSE to my husband's work.


I enjoy so many types of crafting, as I mentioned earlier. I also love to make up recipes with my husband, for us to try. We love to cook together and come up with some great things to eat. I am currently in a weight loss program at the gym, and am learning to make healthier choices and include exercise in my program, and I'm loving it. I love to read (favorite authors: Terri Blackstock, Dee Henderson, Janette Oke, Lori Peart, John Flanagan, Beverly Lewis), I enjoy going fishing and camping with my family, and I love to travel. My husband and I are both involved in our church, and I will soon be leading a mom's group that will be starting back up in the Fall. I've never done that before...I've always taught kids....not adults. So this will be an exciting journey for me.

Do you have more than one Etsy shop and/or other online shops, or a blog?
I do have three Etsy shops: They are http://photogreetings.etsy.com/; http://ambrosiadelights.etsy.com/; and http://rioosodesigns.etsy.com/.
I have one shop on ArtFire: http://rioosodesigns.artfire.com.
I have a blog too, which I have not kept up with, and will most likely ultimately need to do away with because I just don't have the time for it: http://thedowntownboutique.blogspot.com/.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Pink Saturday on July 18, 2009

Can you already believe that it is July 18? We have 166 days left until 2010. Are you ready for the holidays? I’m not. I have been thinking about it, but that’s about as far as I have gotten. I have two art festivals, one in October, and the last one in November. I have just now overloaded by little brain. So, I will now shut up and get this posted before I totally shut down!


On this Pink Saturday I have the perfect note card for you to give to that someone who needs a little boost or just to let them know how special they are. The inside of this card has been left blank for your very special message.

The main image, an orchid chop, has color added with a watercolor wash for the background. The orchid was enhanced with two colors of pink Twinks watercolors and leaves with green Twinks. A protective seal on the chop only was completed with Glazia. The pink background is a scrap of scrapbooking paper.

I have signed and dated the card on the back. All of my art work is handmade, therefore no two are ever alike. The finished size on the card is 3½"x5" and will come with a crisp white envelope.
If you would like to know where I get my supplies for this project, or any of my other pieces, just contact me at ajsdesigns@cox.net.

To read and enjoy other participants in this Pink Saturday adventure please go to Bev’s blog How Sweet the Sound.

Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a great Pink Saturday!

And a very Big Pink Saturday Thank You to all who comment and all my followers!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Etsy Paper Street Team Member Debra and End of the Day Crafting


Debra and her End of the Day Crafting really says it all. From what I glean from her blog (and you need to read it) she is a very strong person who enjoys life to the fullest with her family and her art.

Just a few of her favorite things that help make her the person she is today are portable record players, diet coke, bifocals, flip flops, finding the perfect sea shell, the taste of birthday cake, cassette players, homemade ice cream, God, church, Jack, bib overalls, kissing, old-time piano, wearing fluffy slippers, going barefoot, palm trees, flipper, Shamu, and the Ruben Sandwich. This list is just a very few of the favorites in her life.

Enjoy! After reading leave a comment for her here or on her blog. I think she would truly enjoy hearing from everyone.

How did you get your start in the world of art?
My mother was an artist and she encouraged me at a young age to be creative. I always wanted coloring books and Crayola crayons. I would use the Sears and JC Penny catalog to make paper dolls.

Do you have a ritual you perform before you start creating?
Actually no I don't have a ritual before starting. I never stop thinking about what I want to do next which often leads me to do multiple projects at the same time.

What do you like best, the creative process or the final creation?
I get most of my pleasure from the process.

What are your favorite art media, tools, and supplies?
My favorite art media, tools and supplies is very simple: scrapbooking and painting, paintbrush and paint, scissors and paper, seashells and sand, and my Cricket!!

When a creative block happens, what process do you go through to get the creative juices flowing again?
My husband would say that I never have a creative block because I'm always thinking of something to make or do. When the creative block does happen and it does from time to time I enjoy reading craft books at the library and Barnes & Noble and of course different web-sites. My favorite web-site is BHG Scrapbooks.

What do you hope your art says about you?
I hope my art shows that I am versatile and creative.

What is your greatest dream and greatest fear as an artist?
I hope that people enjoy and appreciate my art. My dream would be to be able to take my canvas and art supplies and spend everyday at the beach!

What are your goals in art, and in life?
My goal in art is to always keep an open mind, not be so hard on myself, continue to learn new techniques and “finish my personal scrapbooks!” My goal in life would be the same as the previous question ~ take my paintbrush and canvas to the “Beach!”


Tell us a little bit about yourself—where you grew up, your life now, other creative pursuits, other interests, and hobbies.
My name is Debra and I live in North Carolina on the Albemarle Sound. We've been in our home for four years. Previously we lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia for 21 years. I grew up in Hope Mills, NC and moved to VA Beach from Charlotte, NC. I'm married to my best friend Jack for 31 years and have one son Dustin and a one year old grandson Shawn. We have a Boxer named Shelliey.

I am a National Sales Specialist with a Senior Living company and travel to our assisted living and memory care communities on the west and east coast. Even though the travel is hard the job has so many rewards. Often my husband will meet me while in California or Florida. I also enjoy visiting art and scrapbook stores and art museums while traveling.

I have a true passion for coastal lifestyle and have many blessings in my life.

Do you have more than one Etsy shop and/or other online shops, or a blog?
End of the Day Crafting at http://www.endofthedaycrafting.etsy.com/.
Please visit my blog and read some wonderful stories about my mom and things that I love at http://www.endoftheday.typepad.com/.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Pink Saturday on July 11, 2009

Welcome to my second edition of Pink Saturday!

I have decided to show you one of my many bookmarks. This one especially because it is SO PINK.

“The real fountain of youth is whimsy.” Stay young at heart and we will feel like we can live forever!

The quote for this bookmark, (and all of my other bookmarks) was created by my husband. I know that I seem to mention him more often than is necessary, but I marvel at the way his brain functions. He is brilliant! The term for his brain...“a lint trap.”

This bookmark is an original piece of rubber stamp art and makes a perfect gift for the young at heart (or for someone who really likes “feel good pink”).

The background is a watercolor wash in fuchsia. The main image is of a “summer” chop (or a blue bonnet), and is a deeper watercolor wash of fuchsia for the background. I have also enhanced it with Twinks watercolors and Radiant Pearls paint.

The finished size is 2¼"x7½" and is supplied with a bookmark sleeve and a complimentary tassel. I have signed and dated on the back.

If you would like to know where I purchase the tools and supplies please email me at ajsdesigns@cox.net.

To read and enjoy other participants in this Pink Saturday adventure please go to Bev’s blog How Sweet the Sound.

Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a great Pink Saturday!

Vol. I, No. 2, July 11, 2009

Thursday, July 9, 2009

An Etsy Greetings Street Team Member from New Zealand



Can you imagine living in New Zealand? Well, that is where this very fortunate artist, Jeni of PnkGeeni, does live. For some gorgeous photos of New Zealand check out her FotoGeeni’s shop. She definitely has the artistic eye that is needed for great photography. Not only does she have the photography talent, she also creates unique handmade cards.

After reading this interview please visit both her shops. And let her know just how you feel about her abundance of natural talent.

Enjoy!

How did you get your start in the world of art?
In 2006 we planned a vacation to WDW, I spent 10 months planning this vacation and found out about scrapbooking. After three attempts, we finally got to go on our holiday of a lifetime to Egypt. So that got scrapbooked, and I was addicted. Somewhere around this time we decided to emigrate to New Zealand, and all my wonderful crafting goods had to get boxed up and packed into a container. I kept some bits out to get my creative fix making the odd card. Now, I try to scrapbook and make cards in an equal amount of time.

Do you have a ritual you perform before you start creating?
I make a fresh cup of hot coffee and switch on the lights that give me better lighting at my desk.

What do you like best, the creative process or the final creation?
I prefer the creative process best. I like playing around with all the pieces until it turns into a wonderful work of art.

What are your favorite art media, tools, and supplies?
I love everything American Crafts and Doodlebug Designs bring out. There are so many wonderful scrapbook items. Silk flowers, glossy brads, gorgeous papers! And I couldn't live without my EK Success cutting mat and craft knife.


When a creative block happens, what process do you go through to get the creative juices flowing again?
I take some rubbish down to the bins. Which gives me a five minute break outside this apartment and away from my desk. I get out some new papers or embellishments that I want to play with. Flick through scrapbooking magazines and blogs.

What do you hope your art says about you?
I have no idea.

What is your greatest dream and greatest fear as an artist?
My greatest dream... hmmm...
The greatest fear is easy. My greatest fear is going blind. How do you cut paper and make things if you can't see?


What are your goals in art, and in life?
My goal in art is to be able to craft all day and make a good living from it. I can't wait until we find a nice new house and I can have a craft room all of my own. I'd love to be able to play with all the wonderful scrapbooking goodies all day.

Tell us a little bit about yourself-where you grew up, your life now, other creative pursuits, other interests and hobbies.
I grew up on a tiny Island named Guernsey between England and France. I've been living in Wellington New Zealand for just over a year and NEVER want to leave! I used to write quite a bit but somehow my writing has slowly stopped. (Really need to get back into a routine with this.) I am semi-addicted to photography. I try to take my camera with me everywhere and can take thousands of shots on a weeks holiday. I love Agatha Christie, movies, books, and audio books.

Do you have more than one Etsy shop and/or other online shops or a blog?
Yes, I have 2 shops on Etsy: a handmade stationary shop at http://pnkgeenie.etsy.com/ and a photography store at http://fotogeenie.etsy.com/ which is full of wonderful images from New Zealand, which I turn into note cards.
I have 2 blogs at http://pnkgeeni.blogspot.com/ and http://fotogeeni.blogspot.com/.
I also have a web site at http://www.pnkgeeni.com/.

To see more wonderful and talented artisans from Etsy Greetings visit http://etsygreetingsteam.blogspot.com/.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Pink Saturday


Welcome to my first Pink Saturday blog post. Yes, I am late. My excuse is the Fourth of July Holiday. We are trying to get ready for a cookout. And we were going to participate in the Tulsa’s Annual Boom River Celebration. Unfortunately, it is pouring rain, which we needed. The rain and thunderstorms are suppose to last until Sunday morning.

The cookout is still going to happen. My wonderful husband is finishing up on the house cleaning so I can write this blog. He is even going to buy the groceries. I very much appreciate his help. House cleaning is not on my list of favorite things to do. And going outside the house to shop is not either. I am an online shopping diva.

Now back to Pink Saturday…I have just created a pink flower medallion card. The inspiration came to me from an artist, Terri, who created a beautiful card, for last Saturday’s Pink Saturday, using alcohol inks. It has been a long time for me to create with alcohol inks. Thanks to Terri, she got my creative juices flowing again.


This greeting card is simple, yet very elegant.

The medallion is handstamped with pink pigment ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. The background piece was created using alcohol ink, alcohol, and silver and pearl metallic mixatives. It was then enhanced with a bright baby pink ultra fine glitter.

The base card is 120# Stardream cardstock in the color snow. Most of my greeting cards have been left blank for your personal sentiment. The finished size is 4¼”x5½” and I have provided a matching crisp metallic envelope.

To read and enjoy other participants in this Pink Saturday adventure please go to Bev’s blog How Sweet the Sound.

Thanks for reading and I will write again next Saturday. I hope everyone has a great Pink Saturday and a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Reverie Creations of the Etsy Paper Street Team


Mandee Adams and her paper creations show just how much she is enjoying life as a whole. She has found a deep seated love for family and has combined that love with her art. And it shows! After you become acquainted with Mandee during this interview, visit her shop. Explore the love and happiness she puts back into her art.

Enjoy!

How did you get your start in the world of art?
My earliest memory of anything artsy was when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I drew a picture of a Holly Hobby doll sitting on a shelf, and my Mother made such a big deal out of it that I found myself constantly drawing after that. In High School, I attended a special art school on a full scholarship. I didn’t think I belonged there (there were some amazingly talented people in my class) and felt out of place from day one, but I learned a lot about myself and where art should come from. Today, my passion is no longer for charcoal or acrylics…I’m addicted to paper!!

Do you have a ritual you perform before you start creating?
I can’t say that I have a particular ritual, but I do HAVE to have a fresh cup of hazelnut coffee and music playing.

What do you like best, the creative process or the final creation?
I definitely prefer the creative process. For me, there is an incredible collection of decisions that need to be made based on the effect I see in my mind’s eye. The final creation rarely ever comes out the way I originally intended, but it’s the excitement of getting there that has me obsessed. You must love the final creation if only for the process.


What are your favorite art media, tools and supplies?
I will always use some sort of ink on every layout. Pigment, chalk or dye…it doesn’t matter. I’ll rub it here or stamp it there, but you’ll always find ink on everything. As for tools, I gravitate towards anything that I can use to distress. I love it when something looks handled and loved.

When a creative block happens, what process do you go through to get the creative juices flowing again?
I rearrange and reorganize my studio. A fresh view usually inspires, but if that doesn’t work, I’ll pick up a magazine and look at the advertisements. You can get some amazing inspiration from advertising layouts.

What do you hope your art says about you?
I hope my art expresses the type of person that I am. I always try to make everything well, balanced, and harmonious. I want people to feel “good” when they look at one of my creations.


What is your greatest dream and greatest fear as an artist?
My greatest fear is not being able to create at all. It’s such a big part of who I am. I always leave a little bit of myself in each creation, and I do it willingly because it’s what I love. As for my biggest dream, well, who wouldn’t want to be published? I would love to see a little piece of me in print!

What are your goals in art, and in life?
My goals in art and in life are basically the same…staying happy and in love. Billy Joel once said: “Know what you love and do what you love. If you don’t do what you love, you’re just wasting time.” I’m not going to waste any time.

Tell us a little bit about yourself – where you grew up, your life now, other creative pursuits, other interests and hobbies.
I was born in Maine and still reside in the little town I grew up in. No matter where I go, I’m always drawn back to the home that feels “right”. I’m a SAHM to three beautiful daughters and married to an amazing man. Other than my addiction to paper, I can’t get enough crossword puzzles (I do them in pen and NEVER cheat), hazelnut coffee (I drink at least two pots a day), and antiquing (I love the hunt for that special something). My philosophy is to laugh at least once every day, so humor is a big part of my life. My three year old has some killer knock-knock jokes!

Do you have more than one Etsy shop and/or other online shops?
I only have one Etsy shop, but I have two other online shops and a blog.

http://reveriecreations.etsy.com/
http://reveriecreations.shophandmade.com/
http://reveriecreations.1000markets.com/
http://reveriecreations.blogspot.com/

To see more Etsy Paper Street Team artisans visit http://etsypaperstreetteam.blogspot.com/

I'm Moving!

I am moving my blog to my website at AJ's Design Artz . I hope you stop by!