I just found out that my “someday-sister-in-law” is having a little girl I am very very excited – so the timing of this week’s featured etsy seller couldn’t be better. lil tulip is a shop where you can find darling handmade quilts, bibs, banners, table runners, pillows…and the list goes on. Enjoy!

1. Your name and/or Store Name: lil tulip

2. A little about yourself (besides crafting) The best part of my life is my family. I have two wonderful children, Elizabeth and Austin, and a very hardworking, handsome husband. I feel totally blessed, they make my life so rich! Another big part of my life is my religion — I’m proud to be a Mormon. When I was 21 I served a full time mission for my church, which I consider one of the highlights of my life. I also love to run, and recently ran the St. George Marathon.

3. Describe the items you would find in your store? Sewing is my current medium for expressing my artistic nature, and I like sewing a lot of different things. You’ll find a variety of handmade items in my shop, but mostly blankets and quilts.

Parisville Patchwork Baby Blanket

4. How long have you been doing your craft/how did you get started? I was inspired by my great grandmother’s hand quilted, hand appliquéd rose quilt which is similar to those found in museums. It made me want to learn the craft. I was originally a self taught quilter. I learned to love sewing so much that I changed my major to one that demanded sewing courses, Home and Family Living. Since then I have enjoyed sewing anything and everything. I am also mildly obsessed with designer fabric and love sewing with beautiful prints.

5. Is this your full time job? What were you doing before this? I consider myself a full-time mom. But I do sew a bit every day so that I can get orders out in a timely manner. Before I started lil tulip I would sew as a hobby, and I still consider my Etsy shop to be my hobby rather than a full-time business.

6. What is the toughest obstacle you have run into? The toughest obstacle I have run into in regards to lil tulip is probably having too much sewing at times to do. Also, recently a customer didn’t like a religious insert I always send with each order (it’s the missionary in me) and gave me neutral feedback because of it. That made me feel kind of sad, but mostly because it had offended her and that’s not what I wanted. What really makes it fun is hearing back from people how much they love their handmade item.

7. What inspires you? My inspiration is drawn from my life experiences. I grew up in a family of 8 children, and my father was a music professor/administrator at Brigham Young University as well as a composer. I was very much exposed to the arts. We’d go to just about every concert, play, opera, or other performance. I also played the viola and have always had a love for music and the arts. When I was a senior in high school my Dad was asked to write the music for the night show at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii. That year spent living among the polynesians is something I will always treasure. They have such big hearts and a rich cultural heritage. I also love nature and used to hike and mountain bike a lot. I still enjoy running outdoors.

8. What is your favorite item in your shop and why? My favorite items are my patchwork blankets. I am able to offer a quilt-like product that doesn’t cost as much as a handbound quilt. I also love this item because I consider it to be my own design.

9. What is the best piece of advice you have for other artists? My best piece of advice for other artists is to do what you love doing. Don’t worry about whether or not others will like it. Chances are if you love it, someone else will too. Also, always strive to do your best work no matter what. I am such a perfectionist; I always aim to please my customers. Sometimes going the extra mile can make it that much more enjoyable.

10. Where would you like to be in 5 years? In five years I would still like to be active in my church, enjoying my pre-teenagers, and striving to live life to the fullest. Of course I will still be creating, because not only does developing and sharing my artistic abilities give me joy, but hopefully it will be a way to bless other people’s lives also.

Many thanks to Susan for participating in my blog series! I can’t wait to pick out a few things for my “sister-in-law”.

Posted by: Becca | Twitter | Etsy

This week I am really excited to be featuring BaileyBowls, a seller that has been on my “favorites” list for a while now. Her berry bowls and little strawberry dishes are on the top of my wish list.  I hope you enjoy getting to know a little bit about her and her ceramics.

1.Your name and/or Store Name: My name is Lisa and my store is named BaileyBowls. It is named after my dog Bailey.

2. A little about yourself (besides crafting): I live in SF bay area which is great for the weather and the restaurants.  In my spare time, I do long walks with Bailey and garden.  Most of my inspiration comes from those strolls and just being around nature.  My store is pottery-centric but I love to sew, crochet, knit and do anything and everything to create things with my hands.

Berry Bowl Set - The Wizard

3. Describe the items you would find in your store? I love all well designed things and I love nature so I strive to combine the two in my ceramic pieces.   The whimsical and/or cute element is part of my design as well because I think laughter is most important in life.  If I can make just one person smile after peeking at my store, I think I’ve achieve quite a lot.  Bailey is incorporated in a lot of my piece because what can I say…I love my doggie.

4. How long have you been doing your craft/how did you get started? I’ve been doing ceramics for about 15 years.  I took a ceramics class with a co-worker of mine 15 years+ ago in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.  We would trek there Monday nights after a long day at work.  It didn’t matter because the instructor was fantastic and I love, love, love working with clay – you can say I got bitten by the clay-bug.  I had set up my own ceramic studio about 5 years back and can now isolate myself there to focus on creating.

5. Is this your full time job? What were you doing before this? No, I have a day job that pays the bills and for health insurance.  Once things take off, I will quit that job and focus on what is fun.

6. What is the toughest obstacle you have run into? I think during dry spells, I question whether what I do is good enough.

7. What inspires you? Well…my sleeping dog inspires me.  He is so serene and calm when he sleeps that I love to capture that into my drawings of him.  These drawings eventually make it into my sushi platters.  Nature – trees, flowers, leaves and such inspire me too.  And…sometimes, ideas just pop into my head out of nowhere.  I jot those down in my sketch book and months later, I would act upon them.  My husband is my anchor.  He validates some of my designs and encourages me everyday.  He is also my idea man when I am completely blank.

8. What is your favorite item in your shop and why? My favorite fluctuates from day to day.  I would say the Berry Bowl Set – The Wizard because I have been experimenting a bit and letting the clay tell me what to do.  This series is all free form, abstract and as unique as can be.  Unlike manufactured goods, when you hold this piece in your hand, you sense that it was created by human hands and tells a story.

9. What is the best piece of advice you have for other artists? Be patient, don’t give up and keep doing what you love.

10. Where would you like to be in 5 years? I would love to be making a living doing my art. 

If you would like to learn more about Lisa and her designs you can follow her on twitter, fan her on facebook, read her blog or check out her Flickr site.

Posted by: Becca | Twitter | Etsy

In honor of Mother’s Day weekend,  I am featuring a wonderful shop for any new moms out there, or anyone that needs a present for the soon-to-be mom. Yarnabees is an etsy shop where you can find adorable crocheted stuffed animals – perfect for baby shower gifts or to get your little one something they can cuddle with.

1. Your name and/orStore Name: My name is Gina I love/live to crochet lovable stuffed animals. My etsy store is Yarnabees.

2. A little about yourself (besides crafting): I am a wife, mom, and Homeschool teacher. We have seven kids, four still at home, I enjoy gardening and love to watch movies. I love to crochet and knit and have learned to do it without looking at it, which is great. Two years ago my 3 Aunts came to visit for the first time. Since they live in California and we are such a large family a trip is impossible so it was nice to see them again after 35 years and what a great Joy to find out that two of my aunts crochet and they learned from my Nana, what a great time we had.

Yarnabees Hippo

3. Describe the items you would find in your store? I crochet Puppies, Teddy Bears, baby rattles and other lovable stuffed animals. All my items are made with the greatest of care and will make a great keepsake that can become a family cherished heirloom.

4. How long have you been doing your craft/how did you get started? I have been crocheting for 14 years now, I say I’m self taught but as a child I remember my Nana crocheting so who knows it must be in my blood.

5. Is this your full time job? What were you doing before this? My family is my full time job and crocheting is my stress relief.

6. What is the toughest obstacle you have run into? Time, with four kids still at home one being a 2 year old kind of takes up my time and energy which makes it hard when I start creating a new item that I just can’t put down. Which then I end up working on it well after midnight.

7. What inspires you? So many things inspire me, my kids always say,” Mom can you make this or mom you should make that.” I also am inspired by other artist. I look through etsy and see a picture, painting, toy or knitters creations and say I can crochet that.

8. What is your favorite item in your shop and why? My Favorite thing right now is my Hippo, I just love the way he turned out.

9. What is the best piece of advice you have for other artists? Find something you love and do it. I have worked with so many different crafts and I really liked them all but when it came to creating with yarn that was the one craft that I really loved.

10. Where would you like to be in 5 years? Alive, lol I would like to have my patterns published in a book and to continue to create adorable stuffed animals.

If you would like to keep up with what Gina is doing – you can follow her on twitter, become a  facebook fan or check out her Flickr account.

Posted by: Becca | Twitter | Etsy