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.

Ten Question Tuesday - Kim O'Brien of K.O'Brien Jewelry

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

Hey there! I am Kim O'Brien, maker of shiny objects with dashes of color.

When/how did you start your business?

My business started in 2009 when I signed up for my first series of craft shows and started stumbling my way through the craft world. After moving closer to Providence in the fall of that year I met many more artists and started to get a better grasp of what fairs to sign up for and what stores to consign with. My business really took off in 2010 when I moved into my current studio and out of my father in law's basement. It is amazing how your surroundings can inspire you.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I spend time with my adorable bernese mountain dog and my equally adorable husband. This family of three loves to explore Providence, have dinner with friends, play games and cuddle up to watch movies in our cute bungalow apartment.

What first made you want to become an artist?

When I was little I was either drawing or reading. My grandmother signed me up for drawing lessons for my 11th birthday. I soon realized there were drawing tools other than crayons and settled into a world of charcoal, pastels, pencils and gummy erasers. I carried my drawing tools everywhere with me. In high school I couldn't fit art classes into my schedule for the first year and I missed getting my hands dirty. Once I started art classes my sophomore year I rarely surfaced from the art room again. With my teacher's encouragement I knew I needed to apply to art school and make it my goal to make stuff for a living.

What inspires you?

Nature, it's always nature. Shapes, textures and colors from plants, flowers and trees find their way onto my sheets of silver. I am forever exploring new ideas b y taking pictures of dried weeds, pods and little flowers in bloom. My phone has thousands of photographs on it and I use it as a diary of sorts to refer back to. Lately my shapes are simplified and more like gestures of what I discover outdoors. One day I will get back to realism, I miss the painstaking planning of near perfect recreation.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?

My tools. I collect old hammers and other odd tools. I may not have an immediate plan for the tools I collect, but I know that texture on an old rusty hammer will be just perfect for one project or another down the road. And I love wielding a torch, it makes the greatest sound when I strike the flint to get it going and then hisses with flame. All of these loud, rusty objects used by my hands result in delicate pieces of silver jewelry. To me, it is making beauty out of chaos.

Where would we most likely find you working?

At my jeweler's bench in my mill building space. My bench is a hunk of thick wood which my grandfather "borrowed" while working at the university I later attended. (I love that he has a part in my work space.) And I love that I am surrounded by white painted brick walls and windows. Such a luxury after starting off in a basement studio.

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

I often listen to NPR, books on tape or loud music. Mostly Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine or the Juno soundtrack. (I am currently taking suggestions as my playlist is getting a little old.) But one of my favorite sounds is when the fellow do wnstairs is tuning his steel drums. It is quite peaceful.

What's your favorite thing right now?

Homemade peanut butter cups. They are divine! I just got into making juice too. We will see where that goes; it is terribly new for me.

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

Universal healthcare! And for every last one of us to have a special someone to help carry those dreadful tent weights. One more thing, for no one to ever be asked again, "did you make all of this?"

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

Ten Question Tuesday - Sofia Masri

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
My name is Sofia Masri and I make jewelry out of porcelain clay! I'm 31 and live in Chicago.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I like to go to antique stores and watch movies. Look at fashion and interior design magazines and drink tea. Daydream about exotic vacations. Go to museums. Sing in the car. Cuddle with my chubby dog and cat. Spend time with my loved ones. Travel when I can and make beautiful things. Eat cake!

What first made you want to become an artist?
It really wasn't a choice! I'm pretty sure I came out of the womb this way. Drawing and painting were my favorite activities as a child and teenager. I went to art school to study fashion design and tried almost every medium before settling on porcelain.

What inspires you?
I'm most inspired by classic, timeless design and interesting textures. My favorite periods are Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?
With the exception of the night before a big craft show when I'm frantically putting pieces together, it's really relaxing. I take out some clay, start working and the next thing I know, six hours have passed.

Where would we most likely find you working? I work out of my parents' house, where my mom and I have our kilns. She makes beautiful porcelain trays and dishes.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work? I listen to the tv. Mostly crime dramas and shows like Cold Case Files. I love true crime shows.

What's your favorite thing right now?
It's a person- my fiancé, Brian.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
That people would stop underpricing their work and give their craft, skills and time real value.

Check out all of Sofia's beautiful work in her Etsy shop.

Ten Question Tuesday - Owl + Mouse

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
Owl+Mouse Textile Designs is a small company based in Kansas City, Missouri. All textiles are hand-designed, dyed, printed and sewn in a cozy studio by Alice Youngblood and Cristin Llewellyn. We work together as a duo to create unique designs for Owl+Mouse. Currently, we print shirts and scarves however, we would like to explore different paths within the "fiber relm". We met in 2005 as students in the Fiber Department at the Kansas City Art Institute. Alice is originally from Greenville, South Carolina and Cristin is from Tulsa, Oklahoma. We currently create, explore and live in Kansas City.

When/how did you start your business?
Owl+Mouse was born in the summer of 2009. After graduating and spending time working in the "real world" we decided it would be much more rewarding to work together and create our own designs. We both wanted to make art that would be accessible and affordable to the public. Having backgrounds in fiber naturally led us to a textile business.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Currently we both work other jobs in addition to the work we do for our business. This keeps us quite busy! However, in the spare time that we DO have we enjoy browsing antique stores, drinking coffee, going to yoga, planting our new vegetable garden and playing with our insane cats!

What first made you want to become an artist?
We both grew up in artistic environments and always knew that's what we wanted to do!

What inspires you?
Most of our inspiration comes from the natural world. Our patterns are inspired by organic and whimsical images/ ideas we find in movies, music, books, architecture and everyday life. Although we have different design processes, our ideas and aesthetics usually end up going in a similar direction.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?
Each time we create a new design we are excited to sit down and sew the final project. It is extremely rewarding to watch all of our hard work (designing, dying, printing and cutting) come together. Because we begin with plain white fabric each item we make is unique and individual.

Where would we most likely find you working?
Either in our studio or living room.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?
A variety of folk/rock and indie/pop on our laptop! Anything that keeps us moving and motivated!

What's your favorite thing right now?
We’re basically together non-stop so….a sense of humor and patience.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
Appreciation for the process and hard work that goes into everything handmade. While participating in local art fairs we have found that the general public have a hard time understanding the uniqueness of handmade. Many times they get frustrated when we run out of a certain size or color and seem to expect that we have unlimited quantities or that each item will be exactly the same. It's the limited editions and differences in each thing we create that makes them one of a kind and wonderful!

Check out the rest of Owl + Mouse's work in their Etsy shop!

Ten Question Tuesday - Green Post

Q: Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
A: My name is Kendra Zvonik. I am 38 years old and a Sagittarius. I am an abstract painter and eco paper crafter on Etsy. I am also a Pacific Northwest native who has recently moved to St. Petersburg FL with my husband, Christian, who is a glassblower by trade and is presently working for a sailboat canvassing company. I also live with my dog, Herbie, who keeps me company during my solitary days.

Q: When/How did you start your business?
A: I have been painting full-time for about 10 years. I started selling paintings online in April 2008 after searching for a fellow artist friend whom I had lost contact with and discovered again on Etsy. She talked me into joining Etsy and I have been obsessed ever since.

Q: Apart from creating things, what do you do?
A: Much of my time is consumed with my work, especially since I started my eco paper business. But, I try very hard to maintain some kind of balance in my life. So, I enjoy walking on the beach with my husband and dog, hunting for good vintage finds, watching movies and, most especially, doing nothing. I also enjoy spending time with Christian's family who live about an hour south of here. Christian's grandmother, Betty, is one of my best friends. At age 87, she gives me a ton of perspective on life and she makes me feel at home.

Q: What first made you want to become an artist?
A: I have always had a strong desire to express my innermost self and I have always wanted freedom more than anything else. I equate being an artist with freedom. I don't think I chose to be this person, it was chosen for me by nature. I have simply allowed my nature to exist instead of repressing it. I have seen what happens to people when they repress their true nature and it is a real tragedy.

Q: What inspires you?
A: The changeable nature of things inspires me; impermanency and growth. I am also inspired by the characteristics of color. Context is everything.

Q: What's your favorite thing about your craft?
A: Currently, I am creating upcycled boat canvas collage paintings using the scraps that my husband brings home from work for me. I am very excited about adding this eco-friendly aspect to my paintings. I was inspired by my other work as a paper crafter to try to add this element to my art as well. I love making art and feel it needs to serve a higher purpose, not just act as decoration. Right now, I feel that protecting our environment is the highest purpose to serve and I want to do my part.

Q: Where would we most likely find you working?
A: I work at home. My studio has taken over the entire house- my life is my art.

Q: What's you favorite music to listen to while you work?
A: I often listen to Last.fm and choose Beirut as a radio station. So, I listen to music similar to Beirut(who I am crazy for!)- DevotchKa and Antony & The Johnsons are a couple of other top favorites. I also listen to movies while I work. Some movies have wonderful soundtracks and you don't need to watch them to enjoy them. Run Lola Run is one of my faves to listen to.

Q: What's your favorite thing right now?
A: Sunshine.

Q: If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
A: I wish that Etsy would consider promoting abstract painter more. It feels like we get overlooked.

Ten Question Tuesday - Hasenpfeffer Incorporated

Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
My name is Daniela Shelton. I’m a Swiss national living on Camano Island, a little spot on the Puget Sound just north of Seattle. I’m a graphic designer by trade and a crafter by choice.

When/how did you start your business?
In February, 2007. Actually, the history goes back years—you could say a lifetime. But about seven or eight years ago I started buying neat looking scraps and remnants at garage sales, thrift stores, and swap meets with the intent of doing something with them one day. The February, ’07 date was when I just couldn’t bear not doing it.Apart from creating things, what do you do? I’m a pretty avid gardener and I cook and bake a fair bit, but I’m probably more of a craphound than anything. I love sifting through the piles of the perfectly good things that others cast off. Actually, my husband, Chris, and I are both wired that way. We’ve been struck incredulous more than once by the incredibly valuable things we’ve found.

What first made you want to become an artist?
I can’t pinpoint a specific event, but I grew up in Switzerland, which is pretty much the birthplace of modern graphic design. My parents were really supportive with anything I wanted to do so I got into the graphics at school. I think the critters are an extension of that. I’m just driven to make things that look neat, and it’s tough to create in only one medium.
What inspires you?
Junk. Well, at least the idea that the things that people think are junk are actually ingredients to make beautiful things. It’s ironic how we can sell the very things back to the people that they threw away. More than once we’ve heard people say, “I had a (fill in the blank) with that exact pattern!” At that very moment we know we have a sale.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?
Knowing that we’re leaving a legacy. Some people work their whole lives and leave nothing but a wave of consumable and consumed things in their wake. Art and craft is great in the sense that people leave something tangible. I love the idea that someone may fall deeply in love with something I make. At the very least I know I’m keeping things from the landfill, even if they aren’t real big.Where would we most likely find you working?
Okay, I have to brag a bit, but only because of how little we spend to live well. You could find me cutting materials in our kitchen on the Saarinen tulip table and chair set that my best friend, Gabi, and I found at a consignment store. Or you could find me sewing on one of the two early ’70s Husqvarna Viking or the late ’70s Pfaff sewing machines that people sold at garage sales for pennies on the dollar after never using them. Or you could find me on the leather-faced Barcelona chair that I found at the curb on trash day.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?
Funnily enough, I don’t listen to music anymore. Square, I know…. I listen to public radio all day to drown out my coworkers’ chitchat, but when I craft I turn on one of the two or so channels we get on our old black-and-white set. It’s just there for noise and it’s easy to ignore.
What's your favorite thing right now?
My Viking 52 30. I just got it tuned up and it stitches like butter.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
That more people would start making things. We as a society have gotten used to having everything made for them, and by doing that they let big companies set their standards of quality. So now we buy junk that’s bad for us and our livelihood. Crafting should be a part of our commerce, not just some curious or activity practiced by a few ‘quaint’ people, which is how I think a lot of people see the craft community. The crafters I know are far from quaint and they make tangible goods for everyday life by in far greater quality than any bean-counting corporation could ever dream of.

Visit Daniela's shop to see all of her super sweet creations.

Ten Question Tuesday - Girls Can Tell

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
hello, hello! i'm sara, and i run girlscantell. in a nutshell, i spend my days diagramming everyday machines - like bikes, cameras, kitchen aid mixers, pinball machines and lots more - and then i make them into silkscreens. then i screenprint all these diagrams onto useful things, like placemats, hand towels, notebooks, tote bags and just about anything else you could imagine. i grew up in central new jersey, went to school at the university of virgina and live in south philadelphia, where i bought a house a few years ago. and i have a puppy. sometimes i wonder if my puppy's actually an alien.

When/how did you start your business?
i started my business way back in the day when i was working as an architectural underling (when i lived and breathed autocad). it was a much needed creative outlet. i was always doodling little diagrams of the things around me, and a friend began to teach me how to screenprint, and i immediately loved that process.

when i discovered etsy back in 2005, i loved it because it allowed me to daydream about supporting myself through what i loved doing. in spring 2007, rob kalin to hire me to run the etsy teams program. for the next 18 months, i gave working on the etsy team program everything i had. though i no longer work for etsy, i still believe that the very spirit of etsy teams is what makes etsy amazing.

the best thing about working at etsy was really soaking in all the knowledge floating around out there about how to really build a successful, creative small business. being surrounded by such amazing work all the time was so completely inspiring. when etsy eliminated my position during the holiday season in 2008, working on girlscantell full time seemed only natural.


Apart from creating things, what do you do?
i admittedly watch too much tv and movies lately. i also participate very actively in my neighborhood association, i enjoy trying lots of different craft beers - philly's the best beer city!, and for the past few months, i've been working on curating a bike themed craft boutique at the annual bike part art show, a charity event here in philly that benefits the neighborhood bike works.

What first made you want to become an artist?
well, when i was little, my parents told me if i went to art school, they'd break all my fingers. they both went to art school and, long story short, they're both working in totally unrelated fields now - they didn't want to see me go through such difficulties, professionally. so the joke in the family is that i basically tricked them by going to school for architecture. but really i just took as many studio / art classes as i could.


What inspires you?
really intricate drawings, ikea furniture instructions, old architectural floorplans and, well, the internet.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?
i like that the easily reproducible nature of screenprinting allows me to sell art at very accessible prices. and i like knowing there are all sorts of things that i've printed with my drawings on them being worn, used and toted around, all over the world. how amazing is that?


Where would we most likely find you working?
i have a shared studio space in chinatown, in a large warehouse full of galleries and artist work space. renting space here is one of the best decisions i've made for my business.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?
my boyfriend always teases me that i only ever listen to the same five or so albums, so i guess i'm pretty predictable. i tend to favor the mates of state, the new pornographers, matt and kim, she and him and, of course, spoon when i'm working. (and yes, girlscantell is named after that spoon album. it's my favorite.)


What's your favorite thing right now?
mmmm.... autumn beers. and making bagels from scratch.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
oh, this is a hard one! but i wish people would stop underpricing and undervaluing handmade. undercutting prices of people who make things for a living hurts everyone.

See more of Sara's amazing work in her shop, or at Crafty Bastards this weekend!

Ten Question Tuesday - Get Ready Set Go

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

i'm a 29 year-old girl with a head completely FULL. born and raised in the suburbs of detroit, michigan now living on the east coast of florida- a place i never thought i'd end up.
to say i am tactile is an understatement... i do my best creating when music is playing. i need photography, coffee, and a place to put my art.

When/how did you start your business?
honestly, it just fell in my lap in early 2008. For as long as I can remember I've been drawing or writing- putting things together that make sense to me. I always had a journal and made "scrapbooks" but they were never anything like what you'd normally refer to as a scrapbook. A piece of a photo cut into three pieces with the lyrics from a song laced throughout the cracks and a random poem sketched below...Or maybe it was random designs I had drawn while listening to music and thinking about life. I never knew what I wanted to be "when I grew up". It was always changing and nothing ever sounded like just the right fit for me. I took college classes a semester here and there but nothing ever stuck. I loved to learn but it always seemed as the semester drew to a close that my notebooks were filled up with ideas, drawings, pictures I had to take because I was itching with an idea. I never had a place to put all of myself. I don't know if that makes sense but I really can't describe it any better. When etsy came along it was super exciting then disappointing then exciting. I had started my own photography business, shooting mostly candid kids- photographic narratives- real things etc. I started by attempting to sell some of my prints on etsy- It was pretty miserable. nothing sold- it was too big of a field. I'm a crazy knitter- super tactile- & fidgety so when I learned to knit at age 22 it was like having air put back in my lungs. I had just gone through a very traumatic time in my life, one I thought I'd never make it through alive. my anxiety levels were through the roof so knitting helped to calm me down, to focus on something else. Well, you can only knit your friends and family so many hats and scarves. I had piles of stuff in plastic tubs so I decided to start a second shop and sell my knits. again, a reallllllly hard thing to sell because there were/are so many people out there doing the same thing that are well established. Let's just say I opened 2 other shops, which are no more until finally I found something I hadn't seen on etsy. So I picked it up and RAN WITH IT! I loved the colors and the make and the story behind vintage luggage. and like I've said so many times- each piece is like a blank canvas. And it's not like every square inch of the piece needs to be covered. sometimes a simple quote and small piece of artwork gives a bag or case a whole new meaning for whoever decides to buy it. this is probably far too long of an answer so on to the next question I go!

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
i am a wife and oldest sister to 4 amazing siblings. this is my focus outside of running the luggage lunatic shop:)

What first made you want to become an artist?

i don't think you "choose" to be an artist. i've been one for as long as i can remember. the need to create is a desire deep inside my bones

What inspires you?
it's in everything i hear and see. music inspires me, the random moments of life that i find myself compelled to photograph, the things in life we miss because we're too busy running forward, passing the scenery without looking at it or taking the time to reflect on it.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?

getting a new design in my head, being able to put it to use on a piece of luggage and then taking a fantastic photo of it. THAT makes me super satisfied!

Where would we most likely find you working?

in the office of our (me and my husband) 3 bedroom home with music blaring. i love to be at home. my office walls and bookshelves are filled with things that inspire me- i need to be surrounded by lots of color, lamps and my christmas lights which i keep up year-round.

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

oh no, that is not a question i can answer. my father would be disappointed in the way he raised me if i could actually answer that question. my music collection is a bit on the side of extreme but i will give you a list of my favorite artists- it's long so be prepared:

ANNIE STELA. JEREMY ENIGK. SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE. THE FIRE THEFT. ELLIOTT SMITH. JEFF BUCKLEY. BEATLES. AARON SPRINKLE. JARS OF CLAY. RADIOHEAD. EISLEY. BRIGHT EYES. AZURE RAY/MARIA TAYLOR. RAY LAMONTAGNE. SUFJAN STEVENS. JOSHUA RADIN. BAT FOR LASHES. WESLEY JENSEN. OWEN. DECEMBERISTS. album leaf. alex lloyd. alexi murdoch. andrew bird. ani difranco. arcade fire. badly drawn boy. band of horses. beck. belasco. bell x1. ben folds & his five. ben harper. ben lee. bjork. broken social scene. bruce springsteen. buddy. CAKE. camera obscura. cat power. cat stevens. chris isaak. coldplay. copeland. david byrne. david gray. david mead. damien rice. death cab. eels. the elected. emerson hart. feist. fionn regan. frou frou. fruit bats. gary jules. gomez. guster. interpol. iron & wine. james taylor. jefferson airplane. jenny lewis. jimmy eat world-clarity. joe purdy. john lennon. johnny cash. joni mitchell. jose gonzalez. joseph arthur. jump little children. kashmir. kathleen edwards. kent. lovedrug. martha wainwright. massive attack. matt pond pa. midlake. morrissey. nada surf. the national. neil young. nirvana. ours. patrick park. paul simon. paul westerberg. pearl jam. pedro the lion. the perishers. pete yorn. pilotdrift. pinback. pixies. placebo. portishead. postal service. queens of the stone age. red house painters. regina spektor. reindeer section. rem. remy zero. rilo kiley. roni size. rufus wainwright. ryan adams. shins. simon n garfunkel. smiths. snow patrol. south. stars. stephanie dosen. sundays. sunset rubdown. tegan & sara. thom yorke. tim seely. toad the wet sprocket. tori amos. travis. trespassers william. van morrison- astral weeks. weezer. wilco. wolf parade..... and many many more.

What's your favorite thing right now?

life and appreciating everything i have. i recently lost my best friend that i've known since i was 11. he passed away in july and it's really shook me. every day is a gift they say right? well it's SOOO true. i've got the most amazing husband who supports me in ALL that i do and we've been married for just over 6 years. right now i've really been digging on that- i am so incredibly lucky to have him in my life. he really just amazes me.

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

hmmmmm, more exposure. loads and loads of it! there are so many talented people in this world making the most amazing, unique and eco-friendly things. i really wish more people would start to buy from these fantastic artisans!

See more of Rachel's super cool work in her Etsy shop!

Ten Question Tuesday - Cutesy but not Cutesy

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
My name is Diane Koss and I am the founder, designer, creator behind the one (wo)man monster army that is Cutesy but not Cutesy based out of the Philadelphia metro area. I have a fine arts degree in photography and mixed media, but have always been much more of a 3D artist.

When/how did you start your business?
I have been stitching my way along since the discovery, or rediscovery, of my childhood obsession with stuffed creatures and all things soft to the touch. I started hand-stitching creatures from old clothing I had been hoarding around my tiny shared apartment and began selling them on Etsy in 2007. I have since refined my designs and my materials (still hand-stitching everything) and have been selling on Etsy and at various craft shows along the east coast.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I have very little life outside of creating things. Since this is my full time job, I seem to always be working on something or planning the next big project. I guess when your hobby becomes your full time job and you love what you do, it's pretty natural to feel the need to work all the time. When I do find the time to get away, I love a good long hike or other outdoor adventure. I also have a massively overgrown organic vegetable garden that takes up a lot of my time, and when the harvest season comes around I love to cook up delicious meals with my bounty!

What first made you want to become an artist?
I don't know exactly what made me first want to become an artist. I think the creative urge has always been inherently running through my bones, I just finally found a way that works for me to get it out in the open. I've always known I never really wanted to work a 9-5 job and I knew I'd probably never have a "normal" career, so starting my own business, making money from my art, and doing what I love just seemed to fit.

What inspires you?
I'm mostly inspired by people who are doing what they love. People who have started from the ground up and who aren't afraid to put themselves out there and work as hard as they possibly can to continue to get their creative voices heard whether it be through art, music, writing, etc. The internet makes finding constant inspiration rather easy (and sometimes distracting). I am always following a new blog and discovering a new site for inspiration. I have always loved the work of Heidi Kenney of My Paper Crane. Her blog is a constant source of inspiration in both plush and non-plush related things. KitLane is another huge inspiration. She's incredibly productive and her work is so quirky and adorable which is right up my alley! I also have a not-so-secret obsession with vinyl toys and my collection is ever growing. Non-plush/toy related, I recently discovered the work of Nava Lubelski which nearly brought tears to my eyes. I learned of her on this amazing blog... talk about inspiring! I'll stop there because my list of inspirations could go on forever!

What's your favorite thing about your craft?
My favorite thing about my craft is the sense of the community that I have felt because of it. Not only have I met so many wonderful crafty people through the internet and at shows, but I have also met so many people who may not be artists themselves but who are in full support of the handmade movement. I'm a member of the Etsy Plush Street Team and can't express enough what an amazing group of artists and people they are and have been. It's so wonderful to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who help support and promote one another. I also love to see people's faces when they see my monsters. They seem to bring out the inner child in almost everyone and before I know it they've named them, given them personalities, and voices and made them dance around with one another. It's entertaining (and heartwarming) to say the least.

Where would we most likely find you working?
I work from home in my two bedroom apartment with my single black cat, Baby Wonderful. Although one bedroom is designated as the studio, I find myself stitching in the living room on the floor. And if I'm not there, I'm probably stitching on a train somewhere or huddled behind my monsters at a craft show.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?
I find myself listening to a lot of the Avett Brothers, they're the perfect combination of city and country for my heart and my mind these days. I'll mix in a little Iron and Wine, Andrew Bird, and Feist every now and again but the Avett Brothers station on Pandora is pretty consistently streaming into the monster workspace.

What's your favorite thing right now?
My favorite thing right now is planning my possible relocation, eating fresh tomato-basil-mozzarella sandwiches from the garden, strawberry rhubarb pie, and hunting for new cold weather faux furs at the fabric stores. Ok, so that's more than one thing but if I could do that all at once or all in one day... it'd be a "thing".

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
If I could have one wish granted for the craft community it would be that more and more people would understand the importance and value of handmade and the love and energy that goes into creating each product. I'd also love for there to be a giant convention where we can all meet, hang out, and talk craft... maybe even a Craft Island.

See more of Diane's super-cute work in her etsy shop, or see her in person at Crafty Bastards!

Ten Question Tuesday - Tasha McKelvey

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
I’m Tasha McKelvey and I am ceramic artist & designer. I live in Richmond, Virginia, with my husband and our beagle. I also teach pottery and art classes sometimes.

When/how did you start your business?
I started my pottery business right after I finished college in 2000. I worked as a potter’s assistant in high school and as soon as I took my first ceramics class in college I knew I wanted to be ceramic artist.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I like to spend my free time gardening, working on our new old house & cooking.

What first made you want to become an artist?
I have always wanted to be an artist, it was never really a choice. I love working with my hands and making things.

What inspires you?
Currently I draw my inspiration from contemporary ceramics, illustration and nature.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?
I love opening my kiln after a glaze firing, it’s like Christmas morning every time. When you glaze something you have a picture in your mind of what it will look like after firing it, but it rarely comes out exactly as you expected. Every piece is unique and a surprise.

Where would we most likely find you working?
In my new little studio on the second floor of my house. We bought our first house this Spring and I moved my studio to the new house in May. I love being able to work from home!

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?
I listen to a lot of Sun Volt, Flaming Lips and Mates of State in the studio.

What's your favorite thing right now?
My garden is my favorite thing right now. I never owned a place before so I didn’t see any reason to invest much time in a garden. Now I am enjoying planning, planting and watering the garden.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
For the general public to have a better understanding of the value of handmade work, but I think there is a growing awareness.

See more of Tasha's beautiful work here.

Ten Question Tuesday - Which Goose

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.
Hi! My name's Emily Zych. I am a 26-year-old girl living in Maryland who makes crowns and other hair goodies.

When/how did you start your business?
I started in February of 2008, just for a bit of fun. But things have really taken off! Etsy is my second full-time job I like to say :)

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
As mentioned, I work a full-time gig at a newspaper. I am a copy editor/page designer. In my spare time, I love to read, hang out with my boyfriend and meet my mom for lunch.

What first made you want to become an artist?
I guess I've always been an artist for pleasure, and I'm still striving toward the goal of financially supported artist :) I think I first wanted to seriously start working toward that goal when I realized that I hated working for people! Seriously, I love the idea of being my own boss, and being able to do something I love all day long.


What inspires you?
Nature! And older-vintage-type fashions. I wish women still wore hats!

What's your favorite thing about your craft?
I love that I'm able to make other people feel pretty. Everyone should feel pretty :)

Where would we most likely find you working? In front of my T.V. in my pajamas, watching old movies.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?
If I'm not watching a movie, I love Joanna Newsom, Ani DiFranco, Joni Mitchell and Mediaeval Baebes.

What's your favorite thing right now? My new fall shoes from Anthropologie.They are too cute for words.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?
That originality could be valued and respected.

Thanks, Emily! Visit whichgoose to see more of her fabulous work.