What I'm Working on - JerseyGirlDesign

I'm always looking for something new to play with, and new products to work into my line.  My newest obsession- polymer clay!  It comes in so many colors, and the possibilities really are endless!  I of course found ways to use my other favorite medium, glitter in my experiments with clay, and am definitely hooked!  I think one of my favorite things about clay, is how easy it is to just smush it if it doesn't end up the way you envisioned and you can start all over again.  Crafty, and therapeutic!

My favorite idea so far is having seasonal "trios" of colors, here are the spring and summer shades!

And some cool black, white and grey sets too!

So far, I've dabbled in earrings, bobby pins and barrettes, with many more ideas on the horizon!

Indie-Pendent Businesses: Crimson & Clover

One of my favorite summer activities is decorating my house with fresh flowers. For the past eight years, Amy Epstein of Crimson and Clover Designs has been providing the greater Baltimore area with inspired arrangements using locally grown organic flowers as well as selections from all over the world. Recognized both locally and nationally, Amy has won several awards for her atypical floral selections and style that looks perfectly effortless.

Crimson and Clover Designs specializes in weddings and events, but maintains a wide selection of flowers, house plants, home decor items, and unique gift items. Be sure to check out Friday Flower Happy Hour every Friday from 4-6, featuring 1/2 off all cut stems!

Crimson and Clover is located in Roland Park. For more details, go to www.crimsonandcloverdesigns.com

Written by Dana of whoop.

It's watermelon seed spitting week!

A true sign of summer is having that first slice slice of juicy refreshing watermelon and of course, spitting the seeds as far as you can. Here are a few watermelon inspired goodies to paper yourself with and get you in the mood.

Watermelon Lip Balm by BEST's own lanabella

Juicy Watermelon Soap by Soapgarden

Sour Watermelon Sugar Cube Scrubs by TwinDreamCreations

Favorite Etsy Shop: Seven Ply

Seven Ply is a fabulous eco friendly jewelry Etsy business out of the Garden State that uses recycled skateboards to create their pieces. The seven layers of the skateboards make great colorful additions to the pieces.

They make necklaces, rings, earrings, belt buckles, cuff links, keychains and knuckles.

Written by Abby from Abigail Leigh Handbags

Random Baltimore Photo

Canton, Holabird Ave. train

PIle of Craft is Today!!!

It's finally here!!! Start your handmade summer off right with a trip to
The Charm City Craft Mafia's :

Today from 10am to 5pm

2640 St Paul Street, Baltimore MD 21218, inside St. John's Church

This year's fair will have over 65 of the best local and national crafters, as well as a weaving demonstration by Carlybird Weaves and and a raffle to win a huge basket full of goodies by supporting Baltimore Clayworks!

Check out all the amazing BESTies who'll be selling their handmade goodies:

www.DesignByNight.etsy.com
www.JillPopowichDesigns.etsy.com
www.sugarpaperie.etsy.com
www.JennyJen42.etsy.com
www.namoo.etsy.com
www.GreenStarStudio.etsy.com
www.YummyandCompany.etsy.com
www.openeyespress.etsy.com
www.blockpartypress.etsy.com
www.foundstudio.etsy.com
www.tigerlillyshop.etsy.com
www.JenMenkhaus.etsy.com

Photo credit/Cotton Monster

Friday Finds - Pearls

Pearls are one of June's birthstones which seems to make sense because when I think of June, I think of the beach and the ocean and of weddings. One of my earliest memories was of going to Sea World and having a diver dive down for an oyster and then having them opened to discover what kind of pearl was inside. Mine was a pink pearl. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

I dove into Etsy and got lucky again and found these wonderful pearls:

Modern Pearl Bracelet by BlazerArt

Pink Ophelia Necklace by WearablebyDesign

Sterling Silver Ring with Pearl and Red Silk Knots by Yara Jewelry Design

We Want You to Join BEST!

We're looking for a few good crafters to join our ranks!

Are you an amazing artist and/or crafter in the Baltimore area?

Do you sell your handmade wares on Etsy?

Do you want access to a large, generous community of experienced Etsy sellers?

Do you want the opportunity to participate in meetings and workshops to meet up with all of the local crafty folk?

Do you want your Etsy shop to be accessible to local customers through the Shop Local feature on our website?

Do you want to be more visible to the local (and some national) press?

Do you want access to craft show resources, like ride-sharing and supply rentals?

Do you want to just hang out with some of the craftiest people in all of Baltimore?

If you answered "Yes" to these questions than we want you to join BEST!

Memberships are $40/year for all new members. (After the first year, you have the option to take on some responsibility for a lesser rate.) Membership will be open from July 1st- 15th and won't open again until 2012, so now's the time to jump aboard! Just look out for a blog post on July 1st that will link you to the application form.FYI

Pile of Craft Sneak Peek

We're so excited that Pile of Craft is this Saturday, June 25th, that we couldn't wait to show off some of the brand new items we'll be debuting at the show:

Decadent kraft journals by Sugar Paperie, perfect for notes, to-do's, and daydreams

Reusable snack, sandwich and beach/baby "wet" bags by Green Star Studio .

Vintage Glass back painted Cicada cabochon set in a hand formed setting with handmade chain with Gold fill loop links by Jill Popowich Designs. Setting and chain feature citrine accents.

A new crop of rings by Yummy and Company! Get there early and get first pick from the spring and summer color palette... honeysuckle and Spanish olive! As always, she'll have plenty of designs available in black and khaki! Each one is individually crafted!

Snuggly, soft sensory balls for babies and toddlers by Namoo. Safe for play, gently throw and roll on the ground. Colors, patterns, texture and shapes, awaken baby's mind and interests. Don't have a baby? They also make great pin cushions!

Bangle bracelets by Block Party Press

New Potholders by Jennyjen42

New smaller 11 x15" prints by Open Eyes Press will be available in the Mason Jar, Egg Beater, and Meat Grinder designs

New 10x10 inches mixed media original, "Growth Spurt- Green" by Found Studio

We hope you enjoyed the sneak peek. We can't wait to see you on Saturday!!

Ten Question Tuesday - Katie Wagner of Moonlight Bindery

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.

My name is Katie Wagner and I am a book conservator and a bookbinder. I make traditionally bound books out of funky materials like LEGO® pieces, felt and chalkboard vinyl.

When/how did you start your business?

I started Moonlight Bindery on a whim in 2007. I read an article about Etsy and posted ten poorly photographed journals and somehow they sold! For years, while working as a book conservator, I had collected paper and fabric. So, for the first year of my business I needed to purchase very little material

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Well, I am a collector of things: pens, old luggage and vintage kitchen equipment. I like to incorporate things I collect into my work. Right now I have a series of photo albums with prints from the turn of the century inset in the covers. The vintage luggage is used in my craft fair displays.

What first made you want to become an artist?

I have taken art classes all my life but had never found the medium that clicked until I started making books. Bookbinding is the one thing I have come back to over and over in my life that brings me joy.

What inspires you?

Paper - handmade, marbled, paste, letterpress. There are so many great papers out there. My current favorite is a paste paper I received as a gift from my best friend. It is paste paper created over a map! Look for it in my etsy shop sometime soon.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?

The versatility in book structures and the ability to use anything as a cover material for books. I am working on a new series right now of books made from building materials like wood and sandpaper.

Where would we most likely find you working?

In my basement studio - thankfully there is a window!

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?

Mumford & Sons and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes.

What's your favorite thing right now?

The Coptic bound book structure. I'm teaching a night class right now on Coptic binding - it is a style of bookbinding developed in Egypt around 200 A. D. The structure allows the book to open all the way - you can write on the entire page. I find the binding and its history amazing!

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?

A better understanding and appreciation of the effort and energy crafters put into their work - my fellow crafters are some of the hardest working people I know.

You can check out all of Katie's work in her Etsy shop.

Favorite Etsy Shop - Zoe Chen Design

Summertime to me, means one thing...adorable sun dresses!  (well, maybe it's more than one thing, but this is one of my favorites!)

I came across Zoe Chen's shop that is stocked full of cute dresses, perfect for the heat of summer.  Nothing is better then an outfit in one easy piece! 

Zoe's dresses feature her illustrations, and they are unlike anything you'll find in a store.  One of my favorites is the red umbrella dress.

The kite runner dress is exactly what you need on a breezy summer afternoon.

Or if you're daring enough, on a starry summer night, you can wear this mini dress with constellations on the shoulder.

Random Baltimore Photo

Honk.

In a Zip–Zipper Flower Tutorial

These cute zipper flowers can me made into a number of accessories by adding different backers such as a pin. I made them into two hair accessories (go figure). So get some supplies and start crafting…you will have your own in a zip!

Supplies:

• 22” zipper
• Scissors
• Glue Gun
• Felt
• Needle
• Thread
• Headband or gator clip

1. Cut bottom end off of the zipper and remove the sliding “zipper” piece. You will have 2 zipper ribbons, both are used to make the flower.
   
   
2. Using the felt, cut out one 1” round piece and one 1.25” round piece.
3. Take the 1” round piece of felt and sew the end to the center of the circle.
   
   
4. Take the zipper ribbon and loop it up and around so it looks like fig. 4. The loop should be approximately 2” from end to end. Stitch the loop in place through the center.
   
   
5. Loop the zipper ribbon a second time making a “figure 8” and stitch in place.
   
   
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5, moving the ribbon loops to the side of the one you just created. See Figures 6A through 6C. When you get to the end of the first zipper ribbon tie off the thread on the back of the felt but do not cut it.
7. Take the second zipper ribbon and sew it to the center of the flower.
   
   
8. Loop the second zipper ribbon in a similar fashion to the first but make the loops/petals slightly smaller (approx. 1” to 1.25” long). Try to place the loops in between the larger loops in the back to fill in the gaps.
   
   
9. After you have made 5 loop/petals with the second zipper ribbon secure the loops and tie off the thread. Make sure you have a tail of ribbon left to make the center of the flower. Cut off the thread.
   
   
10. Starting at the end of the un-looped zipper ribbon, start to roll the zipper ribbon unto itself toward the center of the flower making sure to stay stitch the “non tooth” end when necessary (see figs. 10A and 10B).
    
    
    
    
11. When the zipper ribbon is completely rolled up, stitch the roll at its base through the center of the flower through to the back of the felt. Come back through (carefully) and repeat this step until you feel the rolled center is secure. When it is secure tie off the thread on the back end.
    
    

Your flower is now complete. The following steps show you how I attached the flower to a gator clip and a headband.

Gator clip
Take the 1.25” circle from step one and put 2 slits in the center of the felt so you can slide the gator clip through it. Then simply glue the two felt pieces together with hot glue.



Headband
Pick a spot on the headband where you would like the flower and glue the felt to the top side of the headband. Taking the 1.25” circle of felt from step 1, glue the circle to the other piece of felt sandwiching the headband in between.