Craft Riot Vendor: Adorn Modern

Lori Hooks

Adorn Modern Designs

Adorn Modern on Facebook

lorihhks@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

Handmade metal and gemstone jewelry. I have a lot of funky, rustic, oxidized one of a kind stuff. I also make simple, shimmery items that go with everything.

How did you get started?

I have always been interested in crafts. My aunt taught me how to make my own doll dresses, patterns and all when I was, like, five or six. I began making beaded jewelry after college, and really wanted to make my own components. I took a metal smithing class a couple of years ago, and I really just began working mostly with metal. I put it off for years, and then wondered what took me so long!

Where do you get your inspiration?

I enjoy visiting art museums to explore different styles of creativity, and looking in fashion magazines and online catalogs to see what's new out there. Mostly, I like to examine patterns and textures in the natural world, and just sort of play around with my hammers to see what happens.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

Usually, a mess! Seriously, when I began doing metal work, my husband kicked me out to the garage. Using torches and chemicals on the dining room table is not the best idea, not to mention the metal shavings and dangerous fumes. We have converted it to a cozy space with central air and heat, a workbench with a proper vent hood, a hammering stump, a sink, a craft table, and plenty of storage. I have also built a little light box for photos. I still have a corner workstation in my bedroom filled with gemstones and beads, as well. I love buying beads. I can't stop!

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

Handmade scarves! I am always cold, and I love wrapping up. I would love to make them for my friends and family, but my knitting skills are seriously lacking. Actually, I get laughed at alot. I think a handmade scarf or wrap in a thoughtfully chosen color and material is a very personal gift.

Craft Riot Vendor: Lip Glosserie

Jinny Suh

Lip Glosserie

Lip Glosserie’s Site

Lip Glosserie on Twitter

lipglosserie@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

Lip Glosserie specializes in making handcrafted, high quality lip care and skin care products. Many of the products are 100% vegan, and all of the products smell absolutely fantastic.

How did you get started?

I started by selling another company's products online. After a little while, my friends encouraged me to make my own things and after doing some research, it wasn't long before I made my first batch of lip balm.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Mainly from scents I already like. I'm a huge food enthusiast, so many of my fragrances are food-related.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

I do everything in my kitchen (after being sanitized of course).

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

When I'm not making stuff for Lip Glosserie, I love to knit things for friends.

Craft Riot Vendor: Katastrophicdesign

Melissa Taylor
Katastrophicdesign
katastrophicdesign@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

Katastrophic is a collection of handmade organic "every day" clothing for creative and imaginative people.

How did you get started?

Katastrophic is my first and brand new collection which was born out of a desire to use my talents to add something good to the world, and to spend my life doing what I love instead of just trying to get by, even though to get started it requires a lot of sacrifice.

Where do you get your inspiration?

So many places! Girl toys of the 80's, gardening, skaters, places I've lived and visited, my favorite movies (you have to guess), and other various shaded corners of life.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

My husband and I live in a small two-bedroom house. Originally our bedroom was the master bedroom and we shared the other smaller room as a studio. Well, that didn't last long. Now the master bedroom is my studio, and he has to share with the bedroom! My studio is full of colorful fabrics that I have hand dyed, a clothing rack of finished pieces, sewing machines, and of course billions of buttons and random doo dads that may or may not ever be used!

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

Oh my. Handmade journals, probably.

Craft Riot Vendor: Aurora Reyes

Aurora Reyes

Aurora Reyes, Travel Photographer

Aurora Reyes's Blog

Aurora Reyes on Facebook

Aurora Reyes on Twitter

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Photographs of China on linen

Photographs of Italy on canvas

Travel Photographs on photography paper

All photographs include my personal written story of the moment the photograph was captured.

Blank inside Greeting cards with my Travel Photography on the font and my personal story of the moment that images was taken on the back. I'm proud to announce these cards are now being sold at The Austin Museum of Art (AMOA)! :)

How did you get started?

I love capturing moments and stopping time for a brief second to hold with me and share with others. I also love the unforgettable stories that come along with taking these photographs.

I started taking pictures at a young age and realized how much I loved to take pictures when I was in middle school on a family trip in St. Louis. It wasn't until after college that I followed my heart and started my business and absolutely love every minute of it.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I get my inspiration from sensational moments in my travels. I love capturing moments that take you on my trip with me. Moments that I've experienced that have made me use all of my senses. Moments that I've heard, tasted, smelled, touched and captured for you to see.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

The world is my workspace.

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

Who doesn't love a hand(made with love) card?

Craft Riot Vendor: Constant Dreamer

Shaylind Standing
Constant Dreamer
Constant Dreamer on Facebook
shaylindstanding@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

Whimsical fine art prints and originals (and soon to be magnets).

How did you get started?

I needed a way to use my BFA and make money while being a stay at home mom.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I get ideas for color combinations everywhere. Thankfully, there is also an abundance of all things tiny and cute in the world.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

It's messy, and unfortunately, there is no door (I currently work out of our formal dining room), but the light is good!

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

Cookies. Not really art, but very delicious. Good to make and receive.

Craft Riot Vendor: Merritt Gade Fine Handmades

Merritt Gade
Merritt Gade Fine Handmades
Merritt Gade’s Blog
MerrittGade on Facebook
merrittgade@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

Unique, semi-precious handmade jewelry and bridal accessories

How did you get started?

I was never an artist growing up, but my love of rocks and gems sent me to college to study geology. During a particularly difficult semester, my mom suggested taking a jewelry class for some fun with a different side of stones and I fell in love. A natural with hammers and saws, the fit was instant and I earned a degree in Fine Arts in 1999. I launched my full-time business ten years after graduating and have been enjoying building my collections and learning the ropes of the non-craft end of things since January 2009.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I like to build with metal components, so architecture and nature are major inspirations. Repeat patterns, organic lines, layers of shapes are all part of my creative process. It's important to me that my items feel original and unique, so I spend a good deal of time thinking about what I currently make and how to make it another way.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

I have two work spaces, one in a spare room in my house and one in part of the garage. I spend the majority of my creative time in the inside space, which has a large bay window (great for photos), a huge walk-in closet (perfect storage), and a decent sized floor plan (desk, work bench, and sewing table all fit!). It looks messy a lot of the time, but I know exactly where everything is. I have systems that help it not get too out of control, but find that keeping everything just so doesn't work for me. The walls are an ongoing collage of stuff I love; pictures of family, art work by friends, vintage postcards, odds and ends from shows I've attended or been a part of, and an assortment of trinkets like the wooden tulip my sister got in France and fake flower corsage my other sister made for a party we attended.

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

I've gotten to work with a couple of different men on gifts for their wives or girlfriends as a surprise. I love that the fellas think of my work as something special and that they really try to find a design that their significant other is going to enjoy wearing. It's fun to be a part of sweet, thoughtful gift giving.

Last year, my sister gave me a tiny, handmade teddy bear with a giant, fluffy head. He's so cute with his little scarf and serious expression. His name is Euri and is my desk mascot.

Craft Riot Vendor: AmeliaBeth

Amelia Mahlstadt

AmeliaBeth

AmeliaBeth on Twitter

AmeliaBeth on Facebook

ameliahandmade@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

I make upcycled Scrabble tile pendants, rings, cuff links, hair pins, wine charms and earrings. Each piece is made from an official Scrabble tile with the letter showing on the back and a colorful graphic on the front.

How did you get started?

I have always enjoyed projects and making things. Once I graduated college and started teaching, I had summers off and had lots of time for crafting. That's when I began my Etsy shop. I started making "all-in-one" cards which are greeting cards made from colorful paper that fold into themselves, eliminating the need for an envelope. I was keeping myself busy with projects that summer and my husband found a tutorial on how to make Scrabble tile pendants. I began the process of learning just the right way to make those pendants and took it from there! I now make pendants, earrings, cuff links, rings, hair pins and wine charms upcycled from Scrabble tiles.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I don't think I could pinpoint one thing that inspires me. I would have to say just the world around me. Depending on what I see or experience shapes my ideas.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

My workspace is in a spare bedroom of our house. My husband used to call it "the office" and it is where his computer was and where he would go when working from home, experimenting with digital art projects, or to find new music to listen to. Slowly, but surely, it is now "the craft room" and I have officially taken over! We've decorated it with inspiring art that coordinates with the bright yellow walls and modern, yet functional furniture and storage cabinets to help me stay organized.

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

I love making my Scrabble wine charms to give along with a good bottle of wine! I really enjoy being able to give these because I can personalize them by choosing certain Scrabble tile letters as well as designs for each person to make it special. I am also going to try my hand at making colorful fabric wine bags this season since I am getting more comfortable with my sewing machine.