Layne Designs

I found this amazing shop while searching for people to supply their Etsy mini's for on my blog. Layne Design has the cutest snowmen, wonderful Christmas items to decorate your home, cute signs, and bean bag frogs!! Let's learn a bit more about the shop and please take time to check out the wonderful items!


*Where are you from?
I am from Jamestown, NY Which is the home town of Lucille Ball. I now live about 10 miles outside of it in a dinky little town.

*Tell us a bit about yourself.
I have always been artistic. My parents would always get me art supplies for Christmas. (Im hinting for a new easel this year lol) I finally graduated in 2007 at the age of 44 from The State University of New York College at Fredonia (SUNY Fredonia). I received my Bachelors of Fine Art Graphic Design. I have 3 children, and 2 grandsons. (yes I know Im too young and gorgeous to be a grandma!)

Profession:
I am a graphic designer by trade. I love design and typography. Letter form can be very interesting. Some of my favorite designers are George Lois, David Carson, Emery Vincent Design, and some of my favorite painters are Monet, Edward Hopper and Artemisia Gentileschi.

*How did you decide on your shop name?
Layne is my middle name. It sounded a little more trendy than Stefanie.

Why did you start your business?
I got laid off and have been doing craft shows for around 15 years. I thought this would be a good way to keep myself busy and maybe make a few extra bucks. Being on Etsy helps keep me from stock piling the things I make.

*When did you start crafting?
Ive been crafting in some form or another as long as I can remember.

Tell us a bit about your shop and what you carry?
I have an eclectic shop. A bit of everything. I love to oil paint so decided to sell some paintings there. I have been sewing since I was 10 years old. From there about 15 years ago I started making dolls, and it sorta just took off from there branching out into centerpieces, and decorative painting. Ok I admit, I have a list a mile long of oh gee I want to make one of those.

*Where do you craft?
Right now at my kitchen table. I do have a studio, but the floor had to get pulled up to fix septic pipes. YAY

*What would you love to add to your crafting space?
If the studio floor was back down I would add more space (its about 14x14 now) and more storage. Also I could use a butler, someone has to clean up after me!

*What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?
Oil paint. I just love working with it, the texture, the smell all of it. I would paint 24/7 if I could. I am also hooked on books. I have 100s of them mostly design and art related. Fabric would have to be my next vice. If I stop sewing, Joanns will go under! Im also a sucker for a good paintbrush. I think I have 300 paintbrushes between oil painting and decorative painting. Wait make that 299 I finally threw one out the other day.

*Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?
The painting. Its what I love to do the most. The sleds were fun to make, but those are done in acrylic and is so different to use. I would like to learn to make quilts. Darn another thing on my list of I'm going to make that some day!

Beautiful Handpaint Porcelain Creations

Robin has an amazing Porcelain shop on Etsy! Robin Harley Porcelain Art and Graphic Design has the most beautiful porcelain ornaments! I know this because I happen to be lucky enough to get Robin as a swap partner in the "Ornament/Decoration Swap"! I received a holly ornament like the one pictured below. It is truly a beautiful ornament!


*Where are you from?
Was born and raised in Frederick, MD. Moved to Albuquerque, NM in '83 to be closer to family. Always missed the green and change of seasons. Moved to Oakland, MD 7 years ago.

*How did you decide on your shop name?
All the porcelain collectible art is signed and dated so, that's why my business name is Robin Harley. Am mostly known for the porcelain art. Am a porcelain artist and graphic designer. Porcelain is my greatest passion and love the complexity and challenges of it. I design graphics mainly for Commonbond Communications, Inc., although have designed logos and graphics for other people and businesses.

Why did you start your business?
Started my business almost 10 years ago. Before that, I just gave pieces away and was encouraged to try and sell my art. Is so important to charge reasonable prices, whether graphic designs or porcelain art, so anyone can purchase a piece to collect if they want or have a graphic or logo designed. Is so important to donate art pieces to help raise funds for children and donate here in Oakland, MD to the schools. To me, that's what art is all about - helping. And if more people came together, just think what could be accomplished.

*When did you start crafting?
Started crafting and doing art ever since I can remember. Taught myself to crochet at age six. Loved art but did not do well in high school but learned the basics. Art is what each person sees and portrays, not what someone tells you to draw and how it should look. It's about learning the basic techniques and doing what you visualize with those techniques and applying them. Therefore, Am a self-taught artist and hands on experience is the best I think.

Can you tell is a little about the process used to make your items?
Porcelain Art:This process has been experimental from the beginning. A lot of things I've done aren't even suppose to work - if you listen to people - as for myself, I hear my own drum and keep on trying. Each piece is hand casted by me. It's so important to have a light weight ornament. I cast, clean, hand draw every little detail, paint, apply gold and create each design. No piece is the same if it's looked at carefully. Have lost a lot of pieces as well but every time the kiln lid is lifted, after a high fire, it's like looking into a treasure box - I never know what the pieces are going to look like.

Graphic Design: All of my graphic design are designed in Adobe Illustrator. They are all scaleable vector files. Am self-taught with Adobe Illustrator but took Adobe Photoshop for a semister to learn how to color graphics for commonbond Communications, Inc.

*Where do you craft?
Do all my graphic designs and porcelain art at home. And am so grateful to be able to work from home.

What does it look like?
Each piece of porcelain artwork is all porcelain including the hand drawn detail along with each dot, some are painted, and all are signed and dated by me. These porcelain collections change each year. I control the process from beginning to end taking porcelain to its ultimate limits. Pictures do not begin to reveal the unique and dainty details on each porcelain piece. The Christmas ornaments are very light in weight.

*What would you love to add to your crafting space?
I'd love a Skutt kiln, potters wheel, and an Apple computer for drawing vector graphics. Get tired of fighting the PC's for graphic design work.

*What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?
Porcelain is my supply addiction. So versatile and complex. So soft and luminous. Beautiful. Porcelain is my relief outlet. It's not work it is relaxing.
One day it would be wonderful to buy the gallon of red porcelain and make myself a teaset with the slip trailing of black dragons or flowers on it. But, my addiction to porcelain wouldn't end there - China painting. Am going to start teaching myself that.

*Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?
The teapots. Started off making nothing but teapots and tea sets. The shape of the teapots are fun to work with. My very first pieces were made of earthenware - what people call "regular ceramics". After 911 happened sales ended for teapots. The woman who had this shop suggested for me to make ornaments. That's how all of the ornaments, boxes, and other items came about. I couldn't end my passion of porcelain and actually, this turned out good so now anyone can collect.

I've Been Painting!!

I have finally started painting again. Since I joined the Shop Swap & Blog, I didn't have a choice! LOL But that was the plan. Also my friends and I started setting up our "Craft & Gift Shop" . This is something we do in the local mall each Oct-Jan. We have quite a few new "vendors" this year, should be interesting to coordinate. I'll try to take pictures but the lighting in the store isn't that great.

Here are some of the items I just listed on ArtFire and Etsy. The Gingerbread wall hanging and the two Rusty Tin Shovels are re-listed from last year. Maybe I'll be able to sell them this year! Each picture links to the listing on ArtFire. If you prefer Etsy - you can get to my shop from HERE.




Hope Everyone has an Awesome Weekend!!

The Healing Seed

The Healing Seed is an amazing, totally unique shop on Etsy. The verses/words and painting behind them is wonderful! I don't think I could pick a favorite from this shop, there are so many sayings I would love to hang in my house. Here is what John says about himself and his art:
I am a Scot, although I have lived in the Canary Islands for 5 years. I love both my homelands and of course please use my first name, John. I don't believe in this Mr.. as it creates a barrier. Life is about getting barriers down between people not putting them up. I am currently working on my BLOG it should be ready by September.


When did you start painting?
Ever since I can remember I have desire to make people feel better about themselves. And through art I have been able to hopefully do that. My partner is an Artist and she encouraged me to share my words in art form which I started in April 2009.

Where do you paint? What does your space look like? What would you love to add to it?
I work from home, fortunately we have a large kitchen which is where I love to work, however inspiration can come at any time so it always pays to have either a very good memory or a pen and paper handy. There is nothing I would add, rather in the future sometime to have studio looking out over the mountains and sea. No spare room for that at the moment.


Are there other crafts you would like to try?
I also provide tarot readings which I am in the process of adding to my shop.

What or who inspires you?
Life inspires me, by life I mean I could be walking the dog and see nature at work, or simple people watching. Probably though most importantly it is life experience, a thought,a memory or a feeling.

Do you have a day job?
My day job is running my finance business with my sons who I can rely on completely, this allows me time for my own work.


What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why?
I have greatly enjoyed creating every item, words and color. Probably the one which is most important to me and reflects who I choose to be is 'The Healing Prayer'!

Susan Rodio

Susan Rodio Art is an amazing painting shop on Etsy. Susan has the most beautiful fairy paintings!! She carries prints, mini prints, cards, bookmarks and more, all featuring her wonderful fairies!

When did you start crafting/painting?
I started drawing a lot when I was 4 - 5 years of age and when I was in kindergarden I recall really looking forward to and enjoying the drawing part of the day, it really seem ed to become a bit of an obsession, I just kept drawing and then started experimenting with different paints and eventually went to art college after high school, so I was always drawing and painting its been a major part of my life.


Are there other crafts you would like to try?
I've been through many phases with my creativity a few years back I was making collaged greeting cards, very detailed with lots of cute sparkly bits on them, I had a little business with that selling them to boutique retails stores in my area, I did that for a couple of years but then I felt the need to start painting again which is my sole focus now. I have also experimented with sculpture, etching, silk screen printing and photography, but my main passion is painting.

What or who inspires you?

Nature, is the main thing, all the details in nature like the effects of ripples in the sea, the sky, sunsets, leaves trees and animals as well as mythology, folklore, the unseen realms, astrology and dreams.

Do you have a day job?
Yes I work part time in a large office with over 100 staff as a Receptionist and Administration assistant.

Where are you from?
Beautiful Sydney, Australia. I live very close to the water which inspires a lot of my mermaid paintings.

Do you have a blog?
My blog is http://susanrodio.blogspot.com I update it when I have completed a new painting of have some exciting art news.

Christmas is Coming!!

I can not believe it's September already!! Where did summer go? Maybe it went so fast because I was so busy.

Managed to get the shop painted. Luke was home for one week just before he started year 2 at college and helped me get it done. Sometimes it pays to have tall children - Luke could paint the peaks from a stepladder on the trailer. I should have taken a picture - but I was in charge of holding the step ladder. Just so you have an idea of the size of the shop - it is 30ft x 40ft. It was suggested that I show pictures of the shop, so here they are:

About one week ago - I was blog hopping and came across Kathleen's Blog offering to mail 100 people a Postcard for the holidays. This sounded like such a great idea - I ordered 100 postcards from Vista Print. If you would like a postcard to arrive at your house just before Christmas - Click below!

There is a new Give Away starting tomorrow (Sat.) on my other blog. The prize is 2 bars of soap and a Dry Oil Spray - you get to choose the scents!! (Click on picture to get to the Give Away)

We are going camping this weekend, thought it would be a good idea for the last long weekend of the "summer". We will be taking the ATV's along, hopefully we have really nice weather. So I won't be back till Monday. Hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend!!

Art India

Art India is an amazing - really amazing - original painting shop on Etsy. Sanjay Dhawan has had his shop since April. This shop is filled with so many colorful, imaginative original paintings!! Sanjay has a series featuring Sunflowers!! I love Sunflowers! Here is what Sanjay says about himself and his art.




I am from India and I live in Ambala which is in the state of Haryana. I started painting from the age 6 and since then I have won many awards at school, college, district and state level. I have held 2 solo shows and participated in 5 group shows so far. I get inspired by our Earth & Universe - a theme which you would find in most of my paintings. Besides that I also love to paint on themes which are connected to our society - I am going to upload few of my paintings on these subjects in next couple of days.



Besides painting I also make hand made greeting cards made out of hand made paper and original custom made paintings from different states of India.
I decided to keep my shop name as 'artindia' since indian art is now coming out in the open and becoming popular and secondly besides paintings, I also plan to sell my hand made greeting cards etc.



I give my complete dedication, thought and time to each of my paintings.

Random Stuff

It's been a busy week! I have a few projects that need to get done this summer. We really need to till the garden, but everytime it's dry enough to get in with the tractor and tiller - it rains!! Supposed to rain again on Saturday, so today we will till whether it's dry or not. The weeds are starting to get out of hand.

~Apparently we've had "below normal" temps for the last 8 months. This week is going to make up for it!! This is the weather prediction for the next week.

~Just as a reference for those who think in Fahrenheit: 33C = 91.4F
That is about 20 degrees to warm for me. I know - there are many people who have been waiting for this warm (hot, humid, sticky, headachy) weather, but I'm not one of them.

~I bought some new soap from Bovine Bubbles and Hogwash. It's Clean Cotton. This is a wonderful gentle scent. If you have trouble with strong scented soap - this is for you! I think even Brad would like this one. I had just finished the Earth Child soap I was using, will definitely get that one again. Cara's soap lasts forever!! That's a good thing when you're paying for it, but not a good thing when you have 20 bars of soap to try. LOL
I mentioned in a post a while back that I had bought Cara's Bug Lotion. We absolutely LOVE it!! Will not leave the house in the evening without it. By far the best Bug Lotion we've ever tried.


~Made this awesome Quiche on morning for breakfast!! The recipe can be found at Mennonite Girls Can Cook. I love this blog!! You can never have too many recipes. I realized that it wasn't Brad's favorite by the amount of ketchup he was putting on it. But I loved it and will make it again just for me! After all - I'm special too! LOL


~Did get some pickles made yesterday!! They are dill pickles. Wouldn't you know it - the weather gets hot and I have canning to do.

~One big project I have this summer is painting the shop. The 2 sides you can't see in the picture are done (except for the peak at the back). I started this end as you can tell. Apparently I will be painting the peaks from the bucket of the tractor. That should be fun - NOT! Brad parked the trailer beside the shop so I don't have to do as much from the step ladder.



~I came across this amazing shop on Etsy called TyeJ. I've admired Tye's paintings for awhile and contacted him this week about having his mini on the sidebar of my blog. He agreed and will also be having a give away on my other blog in October!! Can hardly wait to find out where his inspiration and ideas come from! He also has a BLOG that is brand new. This is my favorite painting in his shop:


Please enter these two Give Aways I am hosting!! Just click you the picture to enter.





Well - I have to go shopping for shoes, bra, groceries. tools (christmas present), parts for one of the ATV's, and maybe some crafting supplies. Busy ,fternoon!!
Hope everyone has an awesome day!

Blue Jean Blankets Plus

(click on picture to
enter Give Away)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blue Jean Blankets Plus is a wonderful new shop on Etsy. It's the brain child of a mother/daughter team and features items made from old jeans, quilts and paintings!
Barb and Helen (Barb's mother...she does the sewing)are from Manitoba Canada, and actually only live about 20-30 minutes from me!! Will have to get together for coffee soon!! Barb also has a BLOG.
How did you decide on your shop name?
Well I wanted it to relate to my user name as well as the products that I am selling. Not that creative but it was available!

When did you start crafting?
Have been sewing for a lifetime but never thought to sell anything before!!

Are there other crafts you would like to try?
Hmmm...painting is fun! I painted a few oil landscapes during the past two years but I really want to try abstract painting...just need to find a class. I decided to list one of my least favorite paintings....LOL just to see what happens......I really like the other ones so they are not for sale! I might photograph one of them and print Christmas cards.

What or who inspires you?
I don't really know...in the last couple years or so I have found that I really like helping out other people rather than just doing my own thing.

Do you have a day job?
I work as an accountant at a concrete construction company that my husband and I own together with another couple.




What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why?
The strawberry jean blanket....because it is a fun print!

Jennifer Labella Art

Jennifer Labella Art is an amazing shop on Etsy. Jennifer is from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, only 1.5 hours north of me!! She has the most wonderful book that she has had published and actually won an award in NY!!


" I am very pleased to announce that my book, A Polar Bear Night of Stars and Light, has won a silver medal in the category: Children's Picture Book (all ages), in the 2009 Independent Publisher Book (IPPY) Awards. There were over 4,000 books entered in this competition, and my book's category had one of the largest number of entries! The awards were presented on May 29, 2009 in New York City during Book Expo America. "

She has made prints and cards from some of the illustrations in the book, and is selling them in her shop. May have to get this book for my nephew for his b-day in Oct. He loves to read and this book looks amazing!!

1. How did you decide on your shop name?

I wanted to use my name because as an artist, that is how people know me.

2. When did you start crafting?

I have been painting and drawing all my life- as long as I can remember.

3. Are there other crafts you would like to try?

At the moment, working on getting better at watercolor techniques keeps me pretty busy!

4. What or who inspires you?

All other artists inspire me, including crafters and I marvel at all their unique abilities.

5. Do you have a day job?

Being an artist is my day job, as well as landscape designing which is more seasonal work.

6. What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why?

My children's picture book, A Polar Bear Night of Stars and Light. Writing the story, doing the illustrations and putting it all together took me close to a year. And the icing on the cake is finding out yesterday that it won a silver medal in a big international book awards competition (The IPPY Awards)in the children's picture book, all ages category.

NEW fantastic finds

IT'S A LONG WEEKEND!!!
The shops that I want to show you today are all new, and waiting for their first sale. They are amazing shops!! Please take the time to visit their shop and see all their wonderful items!!


Sheep Space is from the UK and offers hand spun yarn in amazing colors.







Jennifer Labella Art is from Canada, has the most amazing water color paintings.






Bliss in a Tea Cup is from Canada and has a wonderful collection of treasures and things to make us smile.







Mill Creek Primitivesis from Streator and have a unique collection of primitive signs and folkart items.

Jazzy Baggy is from Detroit and has unique one of a kind bags and wristlets.

Fridays Finds and Fun Stuff

Ok - first I have to tell you about this wonderful blog and shop I've come across. The shop is Kim's Country Cottage. Kim has the most amazing afghans, candles, doilies, graphic designs, and totes. This shop is a must see!! You would not believe what she is giving away on her BLOG!!

That's right, the afghan in the above picture! Isn't it amazing? She is giving this away to promote the opening of her Etsy shop!! This is what she writes about the afghan: "Created with soft white yarn and adorned with mauve rosebuds and frosty green leaves, this afghan is the perfect size for a single, twin size bed, or as an adornment for your favorite chair."

The contest is open until the 15th of June and the rules for entering are really easy!!

Now for my Fantastic Finds!! More really great shops. I've decided to add 3 brand new shops (no sales or very few sales) to my fantastic finds. After all, this blog is about helping other crafters by promoting their products/shops. Please check out these amazing shops! Just click on the picture.

1) Agrafina 2) Busy Bead Lady 3) CS Paper and Beads
4) Robin Zebley 5) Lil Sticks Woodworking
6) Sensoria Design 7) The Curious Rabbit
8) Venezie Bags 9) The New Dawn