Craft Riot Vendor: Chester and Lola

Sara Rothko Hauschildt

Chester and Lola

chesterandlola.etsy.com
Chester and Lola's Facebook Fan Page
chesterandlola@pobox.com

Give a brief product description.

Chester and Lola offers jewelry, cards, and gifts for people who love birds. Every item either features birds or is bird-related in some way.


How did you get started?
I got fed up with looking at great handmade stuff and thinking "I could do that" -- but then never doing it. So one day I just said "Okay, that's it -- just do it already," and that's when I got started.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I get inspiration from my two fantastic parakeets named Chester and Lola. They're so beautiful and playful and affectionate. I also read lots of craft magazines to get new ideas and techniques to play with.

Describe your workspace/workroom.
My work space is at home, in a spare bedroom. It's got a window seat as well as a little sofa bed; both great places to relax and take a little break. The room is filled to the brim with art supplies and projects -- keeping it organized can be a challenge...

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
For this winter I'm busy making wine charms for holiday parties -- they're so much fun to make!

Craft Riot Vendor: R&R Design

Tara George

R&R Design

rrdesign13.etsy.com

R&R Design's Blog
R&R Design on Twitter

R&R Design's Facebook Fan Page
rrdesign13@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.
Recycled & re-purposed handmade jewelry and home accessories. All products are made with lightly used recycled items such as license plates, silverware, tin cans, old maps, bottle caps, etc.


How did you get started?
I guess you can say my love for crafts started when my grandmother taught me how to embroider and knit as a kid. I've picked up many new hobbies over the years and when I moved to Austin in February I decided to make it a living. I started on Etsy.com and have grown from there.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I have always been an avid recycle-er but I hate the fact that a lot of it still ends up in a dump or storage facility somewhere. I decided to try and take it one step further and use the recycled materials to create unique, environmentally friendly products. I also love thrift store shopping and when I find something new and exciting the first thing I think of is "what can I make out of this?".

Describe your workspace/workroom.
My workspace consists mostly of thrift store finds including a set of vintage cream dressers and a matching sewing desk. I have lots of glass jars, fun tins and cigar boxes that I keep my supplies in. I collect vintage luggage and it currently holds all my fabrics and quilts. Family photos and letterpress prints from Etsy line the walls. My workspace also displays all my favorite books and more of my favorite vintage finds.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?

I've made lots of holiday gifts in the past but my favorite one I've received was last year from my little sister. She learned how to crochet just to make us each a rug out of cute old sheets she had found. Mine is sage green with pink tones and it is so comfortable to step out of bed and onto in the mornings.

Craft Riot Vendor: grrfeisty's feisty fabrik

Roxy Rodriguez

grrfeisty's feisty fabrik

www.grrfeisty.com
grrfeisty.etsy.com

grrfeisty's Facebook Fan Page

roxy.rodriguez@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.
Feisty Fabrik is all about bright colors and designs. I make a variety of accessories - headbands, brooches, hair clips, and zipper pouches. I also love making funky little plushies and pillows, such as the Bipolar Bunny.


How did you get started?
I remember spending hours making greetings cards for my parents when I was younger. My love for scissors continued though high school as I cut through fabric and hand stitched cute little pillows and scarves. Finally I tried my hand at more detailed work with a sewing machine. :)

Where do you get your inspiration?
First off, my grandmother is an amazing seamstress. And my mother is wicked with the knitting needles! These two women are my biggest inspiration!
I also think crafty blogs are highly motivational. I love reading about people’s new ventures and seeing the cute things they are making. I’ve been reading a lot of crafty books, too! I often check the featured etsian because I want to know what gets noticed :)

Describe your workspace/workroom.
I am lucky enough to have an entire workroom in my home. It's pretty much where I spend most of my time! I have a table where my sewing machine sits, a desk for my computer and other "office" things, and a vintage love seat for relaxing :) My dogs often keep my company as I create - they think it's their room, too!

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
I ADORE handmade gifts. Any present that obviously involves thoughtfulness is the most meaningful to me. I try and give gifts that have the same qualities I look for :)

Craft Riot Vendor: Anne Marie

Anne Marie Beard

annemariebeard.com

annemariebeard.etsy.com

handmadehappenings.com

annemarie_beard@yahoo.com

Give a brief product description.

Distinctive artisan handbags.


How did you get started?
Been sewing since I was 4 - after studying Costume Design at UT - I launched my business in 2002 using recycled jeans to make handbags - the rest is history!

Where do you get your inspiration?
Vintage fabric, Art Deco Era jewelry, The Night Sky.

Describe your workspace/workroom.
My fabric is having babies right now...

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
A microwave heatable neckwrap - made for me by a friend - it's the gift that keeps on giving!

Craft Riot Vendor: Petite Pensieri

Tahra Boatright and Katie Wilke

PetitePensieri.etsy.com

Petite Pensieri on Facebook

Petite.Pensieri@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.
We handmake unique baby and toddler clothes, accessories and toys. All of our products are part of a special collection which makes gift giving easy, depending on how big or small you would like the gift to be.


How did you get started?
We were both pregnant at the same time, making each other handmade gifts along the way. After getting into the groove of being stay-at-home moms, we decided we couldn't keep all these cute creations just for our boys. We put out our feelers and started to create baby gifts for family and friends and got an overwhelmingly great response. We set up shop on Etsy and Petite Pensieri was born!

Where do you get your inspiration?
Our sons, Carter and Drake (both just turned a year), have been the prefect inspiration to help us create, test our products, see what works well and looks good!

Describe your workspace/workroom.

Each of us have a cozy studio in our homes to escape and get creative! Our inspiration boards hang right above our trusty sewing machines, to keep the wheels turning at all times. This in-home set up allows us to consistently be open for business and just steps away from work at all times.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
There's nothing more thoughtful than a handmade gift! Our friends and family love, or so we think, being our guinea pigs to test out new ideas and sewing projects. Mother-daughter apron sets and laptop cases have been our favorites to spice up our friends' kitchens and workspaces. And of course we have to keep all the babies we know looking sassy and hip in our embellished onesies and ready for any spit up catastrophes with coordinating burp cloths.

Craft Riot! Call for Volunteers!

The Craft Riot! is fast approaching and we are in need of volunteers. EtsyAustin is in need of folks to help decorate the space, assist with set-up and tear-down, help at the door during the event, run errands, and generally keep the show running smoothly. This is a great way to get involved if you don't have your own booth, and it's fun!

Please help us spread the word that we're looking for volunteers - teenagers welcome! If interested in volunteering, please contact Bailey Tucker: lovelylotusdesigns@yahoo.com

Craft Riot Vendor: lizziebees

Lianne Nichols

lizziebees.etsy.com
lizziebees's blog

lizziebees on Twitter

lizziebees@hotmail.com

Give a brief product description.
I sell accessories for you and your furry friends. Pet collars, toys, and a few things for you humans as well.

How did you get started?
Let me tell you a story of how I looked down upon my puppy one day and realized that with all my crafty abilities I was going to make him a collar...

Sorry, the truth is it didn't happen like that at all. In fact I don't even have a dog. So, here's the real story. I was unemployed, bored, and unpacking my craft supplies after a big cross country move. I had a clip that was rescued from something I can't even remember, nylon webbing, ribbon, and my trusty sewing machine. Next thing I knew my mom's dog had a new collar. Since then I have made quite a few changes to my process, but the products just get better and better because of it.


Where do you get your inspiration?
It may sound silly, but when I need to feel inspired I just go to the fabric store. I can't imagine walking through all the beautiful fabrics and not feeling the need to make something. Usually I leave with lots of ideas and arms full of brightly colored fabric.

Describe your workspace/workroom.
I am very lucky to have a little cut out in our current apartment. The space is about 8 x 12 and I have taken over every corner of that! I have one wall that showcases all my collars and then I put the fliers for all my upcoming shows over my desk. It motivates me to see what I am preparing for.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
I think my favorite winter gift was when my mom and sister asked me to make them mittens one Christmas. They didn't take long to make but it's been 3 years and they both still use them. Plus they were made from baby alpaca yarn so they are incredibly soft.

My favorite gifts to receive were probably the blankets that my Grandmothers have made me. One crochets and has kept me warm with those for years. Another quilts and every grandchild has gotten a quilt from her when they were born. Since I didn't join the family until I was 10 or 11 it was a really special gift when I did get it. It was like I was officially one of the family when I opened it.

Craft Riot Vendor: Devilgirl Design

Kim Soliz
devilgirldesign.etsy.com
Devilgirl Design's Facebook Fan Page

devilgirldesign@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.
I make just about everything, or at least have tried. Currently I'm making jewelry, hair accessories, vintage looking aprons, re-styled t-shirts and upcycled feed bag shopping bags and pouches.

How did you get started?
I started sewing when I was a kid, and would make skirts, peg jeans, hem pants, etc. to make clothes fit the way I wanted. I started making jewelry and hair accessories out of frustration when I could not find the things I wanted for myself. I have recently begun to look at the things I use and recycle and throw away on a daily basis, and my new passion is trying to find a use for those items.

Where do you get your inspiration?
Everywhere. A trip to a favorite store, like Betsy Johnson, can fuel my imagination for days, as can vintage clothes shopping or even a trip to Goodwill.


Describe your workspace/workroom.
I finally have a real studio! We have converted one of our extra bedrooms into "my" room with red walls, tons of shelves, a chandelier, cutting table and room for everything - almost. It's amazing how quickly you can fill up a 10 x 10 space!

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
I once received a gorgeous aqua blue resin trivet embedded with broken sea shells in it that I adored, and was eventually broken during a move and rendered irreparable.

Craft Riot Vendor: All With Love

Tiffany Nappier

All with LOVE

All with LOVE's blog

tnappier84@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.
Unique quilts and bags made with love are my specialty.

How did you get started?
I watched my mom quilt for years and really see where her passion for sewing/quilting comes from because I have discovered it as well. With her support AllwithLOVE is able to take flight and let me share my passion with others.

Where do you get your inspiration?
Inspiration usually comes from the fabrics I use. I also love trying new things, new patterns and ideas.


Describe your workspace/workroom.
My boyfriend would say its a mess. Of course it really is but it works for me.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
The first quilt I ever made was a Christmas gift for my mom. It reminded me of hot coco and snowmen.

Craft Riot Vendor: Elle Dee Designs

Lani Derrick

Elle Dee Designs

lani@elledeedesign.com

www.elledeedesign.com
Elle Dee Designs Facebook Fan Page
Elle Dee Design's Blog

Give a brief product description.
Elle Dee Designs specializes in handmade sweetness for baby and beyond. We carry a variety of beautiful baby blankets, bibs, and burp cloths. All items can be combined to make adorable gift sets. We also carry a variety of fun items for older children including tutus, pettiskirts, superhero capes, hair accessories, boutique children clothing and play items. Our most popular item is our Woobie Security Blanket, this item combines fun colors, textures and prints to help baby reach developmental milestones.

How did you get started?
Elle Dee Designs was started in the Spring of 2010 when I realized I had nine close friends all expecting babies. What started out as a few simple baby blankets for gifts has turned into a wonderful online boutique full of handmade items.


Where do you get your inspiration?
I often see items when shopping on etsy or in stores and think to myself, I can make that. With a love for fabrics, I enjoy using a diverse palette of colors and themes. I attemp to replicate items that Iove, often coming up with new items that I wasn't even thinking of.

Describe your workspace/workroom.
I feel so blessed to have a workspace that is free of other uses. I have a dedicated sewing studio/office where I can do everything from make a custom crib skirt, to ordering supplies online. It includes a huge work table that is perfect for both pinning the big project or taking photos for the website. There are also two desks in my studio, one serves as a sewing table and the other my office work desk, where my computer is open all day. My favorite feature of my sewing studio is the wonderful walking in closet with built in shelves. Perfect for lining up orders, and organizing all of my fabric.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
I love the holidays and have always enjoyed receiving any handmade gift, I especially enjoy the handmade cards that accompany the gifts.

Halloween and Costume Fun, with EtsyAustin Wunderkammer - Week 2

EtsyAustin Wunderkammer - Cabinet of Curiosities

This week we take a peek at more costuming ideas, from steam punk to ren fair garb, as well as a selection of skullies with a few spiders tossed in for good measure. All in all, lots of creative fun!
Click here to see more EtsyAustin Halloween fun!

Steam Punk Bracelet coreydylan $45.00	Lacy Chainmaille Bracelet Fe... BarbsDesigns $35.00
Playful Steampunk Key Neckla... StickLizardDes... $125.00	Black and Red Mini Top Hat w... Ladysock $27.00
The Scream by Edvard Munch P... SpiritMama $25.00	Bottle Cap Charm Necklace - ... RRDesign13 $12.50
Dia de los Muertos Mariachi ... AmeliaBeth $9.50	I Heart Skulls Necklace in R... fiftyacorns $12.00
Dia de los Muertos Charm Nec... wildmoondesign $67.00	Sugar - Gothic Lolita Aqua B... actionjackson $30.00
Bulk 50 Little Silver Skull ... GemJunkie $12.00	Keychain - Pleated skulls allwithlove $6.00
Screaming Cat Print (Orange) pamelahenderso... $16.00	Happy Fright Night freshlycutcard... $4.00
Texas Tarantula Vintage Grap... NotSoDotty $7.00	Green Drowsy Man Muggie - re... eebits $3.00

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Eagles' River Festival

Come out to the Eagles' River Festival in San Gabriel Park, Georgetown this Saturday, October 16th from 9:30-4:30.

The Georgetown High School Class of 2011 will host the show. The Georgetown Texas Area Car Club will be displaying, and there will be all sorts of fun things for the kids to do. There will be a great day with pony rides, balloon animals, a petting zoo, laser tag, and pumpkin carving.

You can shop over 100 arts and craft vendors and listen to live music. I will be out with my crafty pal Anastasia. You can see her beautiful jewelry at WildMoonDesign.etsy.com.

We hope to see you there.

Silver And brass Flower Ring.

Stainless Steel Book Ends.

Meet Craft Riot Vendors: Oh Fiddlesticks! and One Fine 'Stache

Melissa Abdine and Jennifer Kinder

byohfiddlesticks on Etsy and one fine stache on Etsy

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www.oh-fiddlesticks.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Oh-Fiddlesticks/139347282758523

http://www.etsy.com/shop/byohfiddlesticks

http://www.etsy.com/shop/onefinestache

ohfiddlesticksaustin@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

Charming shirts for tots

vintage inspired designs + a modern day twist

Most of our shirts are designed around fun, descriptive compound words, an idea that was born in Melissa’s first grade classroom! Jen, our self-taught artist, draws all the art for the shirts. We use a local screen print company, Under Pressure, to print our art onto our various fabrics which are then cut out and sewn on by us with an always fabulous decorative stitch. Our designs are always trendy but playful and we love that it takes a bit of brains to crack the code….(don’t stress, the answer is on the back ) The font on the back is different and fresh for every new design.  We use 100% cotton American Apparel shirts. Made in the USA.

Jen also offers a 'stache of vintage furniture, original art, mural services, handmade decorative pillows, a quirky bow tie and 'stache shirt for the entire family, and other items to fancy...

How did you get started?

Melissa began brain storming about a tee shirt line based around compound words back in the spring of 2006 while still teaching 1st grade.  All she needed was a partner to help bring her concept to life and that is where Jen came in...Jen is a self taught artist who began researching graphics to bring Melissa's to conception.  Every graphic Oh Fiddlesticks! screen prints is hand drawn by Jen!

One fine 'stache was started after years of collecting vintage treasures...

Where do you get your inspiration?

Things we LOVE and get inspired by:
color - fabrics - vintage: furniture, jewelry, buttons, art- stripes - dots - fonts - compound words - Anthropologie - design and party blogs -  paper products - photography

Describe your workspace/workroom.
Jen does all her work on a vintage dining room table and Melissa does all her work on a modern dining table!

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?
Melissa's favorite holiday gift she received was a 'stache of vintage costume jewelry from one of her best friends who had just inherited it from her great grandmother!