laura davis

Sponsor Spotlight: FotoFuze




Have you heard of this magical site called FotoFuze?  If you are an etsy seller, it is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread.  It enhances your photos to look professionally shot by removing the background and improving the 

You can simply sign up using your etsy login and it connects automatically to your shop so that you can create and renew listings, update existing listings and more directly from FotoFuze.com.  Seriously, it's magic.   You know what else?  It's free.  Yes, FREE!

Want to see just how magical and easy it is?  Here we go...

Step one:  choose a listing from your etsy shop.

Step two:  select a photo you would like to enhance.

Step three: use the highlighter tool to highlight the item and it's shadows.

Step four: watch the magic happen, then hit publish to update your listing in your shop and admire your suddenly-pro photography!


Not only can FotoFuze improve your photos, there are tools for making listing new items easier like signatures, and amazing new features in the works such as automatic sale adjustments!  The FotoFuze team always has new things cookin'.

Check them out on twitter, facebook, their blog and in etsy apps!

Sponsor spotlight: Dallas Yarn Bombers

You may have noticed Dallas has been a bit cozier lately... since 2010 the Dallas Yarn Bombers have been injecting warm fuzzies and feel-good color across the city via yarn!  They are promoting yarn bombing as a new, fun art form that is truly by and for the community.  They raise funds for several charities through raffles, as well as yarn-related charity efforts such as baby hats and blankets for the Parkland Hospital and baby booties for the Gendercide Awareness Project.


(above photos: celebrating National Yarn Bombing Day at Michaels)



(above photos: yarn bombing for Hair at the Winspear)

(above photo: yarn bombed golf cart at the 2011 Texas State Fair)

(above photo: bike by Sally Ackerman/K Witta, photo courtesy of Can Turkylimaz)

You'll be able to see their work in person at the Spring Bash next Saturday at the photo booth!!


Shop Feature: Maggie May I

Today's spotlight focus is on Maggie May I!  Maggie Younkin is a mixed-media collage artist out of North Richland Hills specializing in jewelry made from repurposed game pieces.


Maggie says she had been trying for years to implement family game night at her house. But since no one wanted to join her she turned to the next best thing - jewelry.   She uses repurposed dominos, found objects and game pieces to create the most amazing pendant necklaces and keychains.


pendant made from vintage anagram - $8.50

twin mustache pendant made from repurposed domino - $15

bicycle necklace from recycled checker - $15

bird key recycled domino pendant - $18


candy sprinkle pendant - $10


Visit Maggie at the Spring Bash next week!

Daily Discovery: Big Ideas for Little Ones-Rockets and Robots

(This was submitted by meredesigns - thanks, Meredith!!)

Who didn’t dream of having a personal robot to clean your room, make your breakfast or hold the other end of the jump rope for you? Robots and space themes are white hot for nurseries and children’s rooms right now, and Etsy Dallas Spring Bash vendors give you several ways to add geek chic to your little one’s room.


Paperfingers
You love your little one right up to the moon and back – so show him how to get to the moon with this bold and playful alphabet print. Available in brown and deep blue or brown and purple, it measures 11” x 8.5” and looks great matted in a 14” x 11” frame.


Regal Cottage
Robots and planets and space ships, oh my! Your little ‘bot is sure to love tossing, kicking and catching these as he or she learns important motor skills – and you can feel confident that the certified organic fabrics and fluffy chenille won’t hurt one bit. This is a set of three balls: 5”, 7” and 9” diameters.


ReGEARED
Bike Clock - $38
The only thing cooler than a robot is the stuff on the inside that makes it tick! Gears are the perfect accessories for robot- and space-themed rooms, and every room needs a great clock. ReGEARED offers dozens of cool bike clocks made from upcycled bicycle chain rings in a rainbow of bold colors.


The Pig and the Peacock
The Robots from Space soaps have landed and they want you to take them to your leader. . . or your shower. OK, these are not for your little ones, but wouldn’t these 2½” glycerin soaps make the perfect baby shower or birthday party favors? Pick your favorite color and any scent from The Pig and the Peacock’s shop.


mere designs
Your babe can imagine the bleeps and blips that these robots, gears and space-inspired globes would make as the images twirl above him or her. These mobiles feature ten ornaments that add color and bold prints to your nursery. Each one is hand made and can be customized to fit your room’s color or design scheme.


CatCanCrochet
Crochet Raygun in White and Red - Baby’s First Raygun - $20
Whether used to defend the planet from an alien invasion or to toast an imaginary marshmallow, this will be sure to get a few laughs when friends see your armed baby. The 6" crochet raygun has a classic, sleek design, complete with fin and trigger. Made out of 100% acrylic yarn and premium polyester fiberfill, there are no hard or removable parts, so it's completely safe for space cadets of any age.

38 Stitches
Baby Bib – Robots on Teal Minky - $8
Why limit your theme to the bedroom? Show off your geek chic at mealtime, too, with this funky robot bib. On one side, see orange, yellow, green and blue robots on a dark chocolate brown background; on the back, plush teal minky fabric that is soft against baby’s skin.

Sponsor Spotlight: Helmutwalker Photography

Raelyn and Laura are the two amazingly talented chicas behind Helmutwalker Photography.  They specialize in an artistic, photojournalistic style, documenting both the emotions of once-in-a-lifetime events and the magic of everyday moments.  And you'll see them at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash next Saturday snapping photos of the event!


Here are some samples of their photos from weddings, which give couples the opportunity to relive the excitement and happy tears of their special day - from that first glance to the last dance!






And here are some samples from kids and family sessions that feature kids doing what they do best - running around, playing and just being a kid.  They shoot on location right at the kids homes so they feel most comfortable and can just be themselves!  









Find out more info about Helmutwalker Photography here: 

Shop Feature: Modest Ambition

Anne Lawrence of Modest Ambition started her shop in 2007, but has been creating crocheted clothing and accessories since the age of 8.  Today she is an amazingly talented artist, a new mom, and an advocate for the arts.
hair clips: $9


One of the things I find most interesting about Anne is her outlook on her craft... she says she does "not find crochet soothing, but rather challenging and complex."  You will always find new and original designs in her shop, and you can expect to see more baby and child items as her own little one grows!


silk mohair orange shrug: $85


ribbon badges: $6


baby poncho: $45


Modest Ambition will be at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash on May 5th, stop by and check out what's new!


Visit Modest Ambition on Etsy for more inspiring items:
modestambition.etsy.com


And find out more about Anne here:
http://modestambition.com
http://y-e-arning.blogspot.com 

You've got mail!

I'm one of those people that just can't seem to get things done in time for the holidays... I'm just now getting holiday cards mailed out! If you're one of those lovely procrastinators like myself, here are a few card ideas to speed along the process, courtesy of our talented Etsy Dallas members!









Holiday Sales!

Hey y'all! Hope everyone had a very wonderful Thanksgiving, full of family, friends and good food! We wanted to spread the word that a few Etsy Dallas members are running holiday sales in time for the infamous Cyber Monday shopping extravaganza... check 'em out!

Regal Cottage is offering free shipping today and tomorrow - use code 'REGALSHIP'

Butter Design Lab is offering 25% off your entire order through the end of November - use code 'THANKYOU2011'

Bee Things is offering free shipping through Christmas - use code 'HOLLYDAYS2012'

The Pig and The Peacock is offering free shipping starting midnight tonight through 11:59 pm tomorrow - use code 'CyberMonday'

Modest Ambition is giving 50% off Rosette Barrettes on Monday only, found here, and free shipping until Dec. 31 using code 'freeshippingJB11'

Happy shopping!

Daily Discovery: Unique gift ideas!

One of the many awesome things about buying handmade is that you are buying something totally unique... which makes for an awesome gift! This Saturday at the Jingle Bash you can stock up on gifts for everyone on your list (plus a few for you!) Here are some highlights from a few of our bash artists:



Handmade Glycerin Soap Guns by The Pig and The Peacock - $4.50/set of 3


Tin Man Keychain by Maggie May I - $15


Knit Wrist Warmers by Sheepish Knit Crochet - $27


Crocheted Award Ribbon Badge by Modest Ambition - $6


Oilcloth Passport Cover by Jenni20 - $12


Oven Roasted Turkey Plush by Midnight Snack - $25


See you Saturday at the Jingle Bash!

Sponsor Spotlight: Yelp


One of the greatest things about Dallas is the wealth of locally owned restaurants, stores and small businesses. The only bad thing about that? It's really hard to choose where to go! Yelp.com provides actual customer reviews to help you decide - and many of these reviews go into detail about what to order/not order at a restaurant, parking tips, and funny stories. You can also search local events (such as this one!), lists of top bars/salons/mechanics/you-name-it and where to find the best of anything in the city, whether you are in the mood for a margarita or craving some fried chicken.

Sign up for the Weekly Yelp to be updated about local business openings and other cool new stuff - and go explore all this city has to offer!


Daily Discovery: Stocking Stuffers!

Stockings are one of my favorite holiday traditions... a bunch of little gifts all in one package! I've found lots of items from Jingle Bash artists that I would love to get in my stocking this year! (hint, hint... )

F is for Frank - Gold Jefferson Necklace

Silla Soup - Feather Bloom Clip



butter design lab - Eco Zipper Pouch

Revisionist Designs - Camera Lens Cuff


ReGeared - Star Keychain


KarmaCrochet - Texas Magnets


Haute Hardware - Feather and Tusk Necklace


Bee Things - Monkey Snack Sacks





Only a week left until the Jingle Bash - get ready to fill your stockings!

Sponsor Spotlight: Oil and Cotton

Every year when the temperature starts to drop and the sun goes down way too early, I begin planning out what I am going to make my friends and family for holiday gifts. (Because handmade gifts are the best gifts!) Recently I've been clamoring to learn a new crafty skill and surprise everyone with something a little out-of-the-norm from what I usually send.

If you're feeling the same way, I would highly recommend checking out the classes offered at local studio Oil and Cotton, located in Oak Cliff. They are passionate about resourcefulness, doing things the old-fashioned way, and community involvement... the studio actually began as part of the Better Block Project and had such an overwhelming response that owners Shannon and Kayli decided to make it a permanent fixture.




Here is a highlight of some of the holiday workshops offered at Oil and Cotton:




In addition they offer several ongoing classes:

As well as art classes for kids, teens and adults.




So go on, get crafty!

Daily Discovery: Who's on your shopping list this year?

It's November already? C'mon, really? As sad as I am that summer is over, now is the time to get excited about holiday shopping time! And of course, you already know that the best place to do all that shopping is at the Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash. Here are some ideas for everyone on your list...

For your sister, who just got a fancy new job:

For the special someone in your life:

For your little brother who is about to apply to art school:

For your niece (who will grow up loving good design, you are determined!):

For your mother, who will spend most of the holiday season in the kitchen making her famous caramel fudge:

For your longhorn-lovin' father:

And a little something for yourself, of course:


Whew... so much to choose from - check out all the Jingle Bash vendors right here!


Member Spotlight: The Pig And The Peacock





What a way to start the week off fresh! Today we're talking with Sabrina and Jenny Abney of The Pig and The Peacock, who make incredibly amazing bath and body products. (So fresh and so clean, clean!)

Etsy Dallas: When did you start your shop, and how/why did you get started?

The Pig and the Peacock: We started in March of 2008 making bath salts and gift baskets for our friends. It quickly snowballed into so much more!

ED: What kinds of products do you sell? What materials do you work with?

PP: We sell bath and body products and candles. We make soap, lotion, body polish, body mist, body whip, bath salts and lotion bars. We use shea butter, olive oil, jojoba and other skin loving ingredients. For our candles we use 100% soy wax.



ED: Any new additions to your shop?

PP: We recently listed a new line of soaps, The Chakra Soap Collection! We are very excited about it. Each soap is made in the color representing each chakra, and we have custom blended scents for all of the soaps to help you connect to and balance your chakras.

ED: What inspires you? Where/when do you work on making products for your shop?

PP: Travel and design inspire us most. We often try to tie scents to places we have traveled to, like lavender and oranges from Italy, teak in Thailand, and wine from California. Design also sparks a lot of creativity for us, we will often see something we love and try to figure out how we can translate those design ideas into soap. Not only does this challenge us creatively, but also technically as some ideas can be really hard to translate to soap!



ED: So tell us about yourselves...

PP/Sabrina: I live downtown and love it! My boyfriend and I have a very spoiled lab/rottie mutt and I love him like my child. My day job is Manager of Planning and Allocations for a national retailer. Jenny lives in N Dallas, and she is VP of a commercial fan company. We are sisters (if I hadn't mentioned) and have lived in Dallas most our lives. Jenny was born in Vietnam and lived overseas for some time. Growing up we split our time between Dallas and our family farm in GA, where the inspiration for our shop name came from. We also both ice skate competitively, it's probably the coolest (literally!) hobby we have!


Find some of The Pig And The Peacock's products locally at the Abundance Boutique at Move Studio and at the Mapleshade Spa, and of course in their etsy shop!

Etsy Dallas Artist Playlist Spotlight







Hi everyone! This is Meredith from Sheepish Knitting & Crochet. I spoke with Summer of Signifying Not about what she likes to listen to when she is feeling inspired, or is searching for inspiration. Enjoy getting a glimpse into Summer's creative process!




M: What kind of music do you listen to when you create? Don't listen to music? TV Shows? Movies?

S: I really like to listen to audiobooks and podcasts when I am creating. I listen to episodes of This American Life and podcasts about illustration and art like Big Illustration Party Time and Escape from Illustration Island. When I do listen to music, it depends on my mood, but I really love indie, folk, and instrumental.



M: Do certain genres of music affect your creative process?

S: Yes, I feel more inspired by music that has a literal or implied story or vivid imagery.



M: How does music fit into your creative routine?

S: Sometimes I use music as a well to break out of a creative block. I prefer to listen to music during the idea/brainstorming stage and podcasts during the actual creation of the work. Usually I am not planning to come up with an idea, but when I am listening to a really good song, something just comes to me.



M: Name some of your favorite artists/bands.

S: I've gotten really into British folk scene recently - Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons, Johnny Flynn. I also love The Decemberists, Tegan and Sara, Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine



(Pictured in Collage - Mumford and Sons, Tegan and Sara, Sufjan Stevens, and Iron & Wine)

M: Thank you so much for sharing Summer! Now it's time to turn up some tunes and get back to being crafty! ;-)


Weekend Guide: July 15-17




Dowdy Studio Wagon @ Bolsa Cafe
date: Sat+Sun. July 16-17time: Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 10am-2pm
location: Bolsa Cafe's parking lot, 614 West Davis Dr Dallas, TX
more info: dowdystudio.blogspot.com



ReGeared at 2011 ART CON SEED - Better Gnomes and Garden Show
Date: July 15th
Time: 7pm - 12pm
Location: The Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75226
Cost: $10
More Info: SEED will raise the “seed money” to enable Art Conspiracy to put on its major fundraiser in the fall of 2011. Live auction. Live music.
http://artconspiracy.org/

Member Spotlight: The Ruffly Owl


Get ready to fall in love! Today we're talking with Dacia Sigler of The Ruffly Owl. Dacia makes the cutest papergoods - I love her clean, simple aesthetic and inventive use of materials (garland made from hearts cut from a map of Paris? Yes, please!!)


Etsy Dallas: So Dacia, what inspired you to start selling your awesome papergoods?

Dacia Sigler: I started my shop in June 2010 after spending the previous 1-2 yrs planning my wedding. I DIY'ed most of the paper goods and basically fell in love with crafting, paper, and typography.

ED: What kind of items do you sell, and what materials do you work with?

DS: I sell an assortment of tags that can be used for embellishing gifts, favors, scrapbooking, etc. I work with card stock, envelopes kraft, stamps, ink, twine, bakers twine, stickers, paper punches, printer, illustrator and photoshop...


ED: What inspires you?

DS: All things pretty and whimsical inspire me. The unexpected and smallest of details is what fascinates me and inspires me to make what I do. I work from my little circa 1940's desk in our downtown apartment at all hours of the day, night, and morning. My wheels are CONSTANTLY spinning and I'm always dreaming up new products.

ED: Tell us a little about yourself...

DS: I live in Downtown Dallas with my husband Art, and two dog-children Emma and Hiro. My hobbies (besides crafting and being creative) are going to antique stores, vintage stores, thrift stores looking for my next find, and watching movies. I have two other jobs: substitute teaching for DISD and medical billing for a co. based out of Florida (been working for them for almost 10 years!). I moved to Dallas from Ft. Lauderdale 2 years ago to be with my fiance then, husband now. We had a long distance relationship for a year before that.


You can find Dacia's work and contact info here. Happy shopping! (PS - she is always willing to do custom work!)

Supplies Me!


Supplies Me! Art + Craft Supply Sale is less than a week away! In addition to offering our crafty supply goodness to the public for sale, this event is a chance for our Etsy Dallas members to collect supplies and raise money for a good cause. Again, this year our charity of choice is Captain Hope's Kids .

"Captain Hope’s Kids has one goal in mind, to help those who cannot help themselves, children. Through the collection of donations, supplies and fundraisers, we intend to give homeless children their best chance at living a normal life." ( From the CHK website.)

Last year we collected over 10 bags of quality art and craft supplies from our members and donated over $200. You can read more about last year's event here. In response to the news that we were repeating the event this year, Brad Boss, CHK Program Director wrote, "The items donated last year were wonderful and the groups we gave them to loved them! I can't wait to see this year's result."

Let's see what we can do!

Supplies Me! Art + Craft Supply Sale
Saturday, June 25, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Blue Room, South Side on Lamar
1409 S. Lamar, Dallas, TX 75215
Questions? suppliesmeartcraftsale@gmail.com

P. S. For more about the types of awesome items to expect, see this blog post.

Supplies Me!

For the second year in a row Etsy Dallas is presenting a supply sale in the summer. What is a supply sale, you may ask? It's an opportunity for you, the public, to buy the things that we, Etsy Dallas members, use to craft the amazing things that we make. Maybe we have too much of something or decided we no longer want to make that kind of thing anymore--what to do with all of the supplies left cluttering our closets?

Here lies the genius of the supply sale. We clean out our stash of crafty goodness and you get direct access to our supplies. Whether it's excess Japanese fabrics, colorful beads, or papercraft items you're sure to find something to inspire your next project.

Here's just a sampling of what to expect at the sale next Saturday: fabric, patterns, ribbon, craft magazines, beads, jewelry findings, paper mache products, wooden boxes, scrapbooking supplies, rubber stamps, papercraft goods, photo matte boards, buttons, cigar boxes, sewing notions, pillow forms, display and merchandising items, canvases, and yarn.



Who knows what else we'll dig up! Come find out for yourself at Supplies Me! Art + Craft Supply Sale, Saturday, June 25, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Blue Room, South Side on Lamar, 1409 S. Lamar, Dallas, TX 75215.


Member Spotlight: Signifying Not


Magical, creepy, beautiful and mysterious: those are the words that pop into my mind when I look at the amazing work of Signifying Not. Summer's gorgeous illustrations are not only available as prints, but t-shirts, accessories and cool gifts. Read on as Summer Ortiz answers a few of our questions...

ED: How did you get started selling your art?

SO: I had taught myself to screen print and had been making shirts for myself and friends since high school. People had been encouraging me for years to sell the shirts, but I never took their advice until last January when I had a little bit of extra cash and took the plunge into running my own business.


ED: What kind of products do you sell, and what materials do you work with?

SO: Clothing, prints, magnets, plush creatures, really anything we have the time and imagination to create. Work with all kinds of materials, but mainly tees and paper.

ED: What are your future plans for Signifying Not?

SO: We are always expanding and creating new things, but this year I am hoping to have some new tee designs and think of some new ways to display our designs - more prints, bags, etc. We are also looking to expand and sell our wares in more shops around Dallas and possibly elsewhere.

ED: What are you most inspired by?

SO: I am inspired by all things weird/odd/strange - Victorian traditions and fashion, unusual historical figures and events, wunderkammers, fairy tales (original versions), literature, vintage illustrations and prints.



Summer lives in North Deep Ellum with a chihuahua named Oliver, and works as a designer for the Texas Woman's University. You can find her products on Etsy as well as Dolly Python.