Guest blog tutorial provided by Bonnie from Bonnbonn on Etsy.

This is an easy, affordable and beautiful lighting solution that was inspired by Shannon South’s gorgeous upcycled Doily Lamp.

Today's post is by Diana from Knotworkshop
She has a wonderful sense of humor and I just love her forum post. Hope you enjoy!

Tell us a little about yourself?
I'm a mom of two children, my daughter is 10 and my son is 3. I work full time, but love to craft and have lots of different projects going on at a time. When I see something interesting, I want to make it - I think that's half the fun for me. Trying to figure out how something is made and doing it my way :)

Who or what has been most influential in your craft?
I think fashion and colors are the most influential tool I use in creating my flowers. What's hot at the moment and the colors for the seasons.


When did you know you were an artist?
I've always been this way! I took art lessons growing up and drew ever since I can remember. It's my first love. My mom sewed a lot of my clothes and we always crafted together.

How would you describe your creative process?
I throw all of my fabric out and see what jumps out at me. I research great color combos and start going at it. Some of my flowers never make it... I have bad days. My crochet creations are inspired my patterns I find and alter :)


What made you decide to start selling on etsy?
I would make things and people would always want whatever I made, so I'd make them one. Usually for free, so when I stumbled across Etsy I was thrilled! I never knew such a site existed.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?
The drawings and painting I did when I was in art school. My first "real" ones when I was around the age of 10 that my mom matted and framed.


What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Oh, no! I just moved, so it's highly minimalistic. A huge jar of pickles, half a watermelon, and a crap ton of condiments.

Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?
In my 3 year old's sandbox :)


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Tell us a little about yourself.
The best way to start is to tell you my name. My name is Tammy. I've been happily married for 25 years (still hard to believe). I have two children, Tony 23, and Morgan 21. Those three things are my biggest accomplishments.
I grew up in north central Pennsylvania, with six brothers and sisters. We were all involved in 4-H. My brothers learned to sew and cook. My sisters and I learned to take care of engines and change tires. This is were I fell in love with sewing. When my daughter asked for an American Girl doll, I got my sewing machine out and started making clothes. Now that the doll, and my daughter have packed up and moved on, I sew for my nieces dolls. And with an empty nest, sewing is my way to relax.

Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from interviewing my nieces. I love to find out what fabrics they like and to hear what clothing combination they come up with. I usually try to make more trendy clothing, but enjoy the period clothing that can be made for 18 in. dolls.

Who or what has been most influential in your craft?
My parents are most influential. They both enjoyed sewing. I remember my dad making homemade, life size, pop up campers complete with the cloth walls. I still have the homemade dresses that my mom made for my sisters and I when we were girls.


What does handmade mean to you?
Handmade means to create something that is uniquely imperfect, yet desirable. It means to have the ability to take a raw material and turn it into something that is useful. It doesn't matter what is created or what raw material is used, it's simple the act of creation.

When did you know you were an artist?
I don't think I've ever thought about being call an "artist". I simple enjoy making doll clothes. I enjoy the look on the faces of the children who dress their dolls up in something they helped create. Most people will look at their creations then look at the creations of others and still not see their ability to create; to be an artist.


How do you get out of creative ruts?
I get out of creative ruts by going to fabric stores. I don't have to buy anything, I just have to see what's available. I also check out the internet. There are plenty of ideas. Sometimes I just get out the pictures of the outfits and remember how much fun it was to make it. Sometimes a simple message on facebook, "Aunt Tammy, I really, really liked............". That will fix any rut.

Describe my work space.
Right now, I work in the middle of my living room. Why? Well, I'm an empty nester who's downsized and moved in the past year and will be moving sometime in the future year. The living room seems to be the perfect place right now. Besides, when we downsized, I had to get rid of a lot of things. I kept my sewing fabric and I want it close by.


What did you think you would be when you grew up?
I haven't grown up yet! I'm still dressing dolls!

What do you do for your day job?
Before I moved, I worked as a Teaching Assistant (Teacher's Aide, PCA) in a primary learning support classroom. I am now a substitute Teaching Assistant at a near by school district. I absolutely love the primary grades, Pre-K through 3rd grade. I'm often asked why I didn't become a teacher. The answer is easy. A Teaching Assistant helps the Teacher become the best that she can be by implementing strategies that allow students to shine without having to do all the paperwork involved in teaching. The Teacher shines, the student shines, and since I'm a helper, I shine.

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Tell us a little about yourself?
My profile on Etsy sums it up, lol. I’m married to the perfect man because he is the one God sent to me. I’m blessed with 4 kids, the youngest in diapers and the oldest behind the wheel. I started sewing and crafting as a child. I fell in love with vintage and design as a teenager. I used to wake up early on Saturday mornings to watch Style with Elsa Klensch and stay up late to watch classic movies.

Where does your inspiration come from?
Vintage! I Love many so many era’s.

Who or what has been most influential in your craft?
My grandmother and my love for vintage. Many of my childhood memories of my grandmother are of her sewing. She had a 1950’s Singer with a blond wood cabinet, before my grandfather passed he gave it to me.


How would you describe your creative process?
I design it first in my mind. Sometimes I have to jump out of bed and sketch something that comes to mind. After drafting my pattern I then treasure hunt for the most perfect fabric. I have many designs I haven’t made yet because I haven’t found the perfect fabric. Once I have a picture of what it should look like nothing else will do.

How do you get out of your creative ruts?
Sometimes I will watch gorgeous classic movies that take place in historical era’s, there are so many lovely details to inspire.


What does handmade mean to you?
Something made from the heart.

Apart from creating, what do you do?
Spend precious time with my family. Saturday is a good day for all of us but my oldest who doesn’t tap (but secretly thinks it’s cool) to put on our tap shoes. Gardening is fun too while my youngest finds ways to get muddy.


What celebrity would you most like to wear your items?
Shirley Temple, but she’s not a size 4t anymore!

If you had to use only one word to describe yourself, what would it be?
It’s just not possible. :)

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Tell us a little about yourself?
I am a mom of (3), two raised and out of the house and one daughter left at home. We live in a very small town (population 436) in western MA and life is peaceful here. Love being surrounded by nature and beautiful starry nights.

Where does your inspiration come from?
I have always liked to create things in one form or another. It does not take much to get my wheels moving. Sometimes something as simple as a color scheme on an outfit can send me to doodling a sketch in that color palette or sometimes it can send me off to redo an entire room. I am a very visual person so I guess it is easiest to say that the things I see around me are the greatest source of inspiration for me.


Who or what has been most influential in your craft/art?
There are two people who I would say have been the most influential in my creative career. The first was my mother. She was an artist and all around creative person who could not only paint a fabulous picture, she could make her own designs then sew them, needlepoint, restore furniture, garden etc. She was also an avid reader… always wanting to learn, which is one of the greatest gifts I inherited from her. My mom thought outside the box so the things she made were very unusual what we today consider OOAK. Her desire to forge her own style and not be concerned what others thought about it certainly inspired me to be the same.

The other person who had a huge impact on me was the brother of my SIL. He was a designer in NYC and had a wonderful home in Danbury CT which was featured in a Home Beautiful spread. This incredible home was a tri-level modern home set in a gorgeous park like woodland. I was only about 10 when I went to the house for the first time but I fell in love instantly. Having grown up around artists I had already come to know how eccentric and “different” they can be but Jasques was THE king of eccentric. He was all about creating moods. When we walked up to the house and were greeted by twin Great Danes wearing scarves and berets I knew I would like this guy! Walking through the basement floor I entered an incredible English Pub. Brick floors, stone walls, antiques everywhere including surrounding a usable stone cooking hearth complete with cast iron kettle hanging there. Each floor and every room was designed in a different style creating a very worldly ambience. The entire home was antiques or very modern pieces. There was a Russian room complete with a settee that was upholstered in Russian Sable. (Hey this was the 60’s and real fur was cool to use). A massive casual dining room on the 2cnd floor was decorated in a Japanese style with antique low tables, gorgeous goose down pillows in luscious Asian silks, antique Japanese painted case goods and the room was all glass with sliding soji screens. One such wall opened up to the inground pool that had an Asian landscaping and design that was the perfect place to get your Zen on! So much more to say about this home and this person but for times sake let’s just say my eclectic taste and my own venture into interior design in my later years was certainly a direct result of having met and been inspired by Jasques.


What does handmade mean to you?
This can be a sensitive topic lol. I have read posts on forums from people who have very particular views on this who are ready to fight to the death to win the argument. So I will tread lightly here.

For me handmade is when various raw goods are brought together and combined thus creating a final product that is much more than the sum of it’s parts. That sounds safe and I am sticking to it! Seriously though it is a little like what came first the hen or the egg. By this I mean consider assembly art… if someone takes just raw goods, does not alter them in anyway but arranges them in such a way that something beautiful is created with very little “addition” to them, is this not art and handmade? I think it is.


How would you describe your creative process?
It totally depends on what I am making…what medium I am using. For altered art, I have to have a ton of supplies all around me so I can pick and choose. Mosaics are the same way. For painting I have to have a clean area with all my brushes, knives, fabrics lined up and ready to grab. Once everything is there I just have at it. My best work has come from not thinking about what I am doing and just doing what I feel at that moment. When I stop to think about how to proceed I sometimes lose my way and become permanently stuck. I have an entire room of canvases in various stages of completion because of stopping to think about it. Rarely will I go back and try to pick up my chain of thought. I will only do this to pieces that I have spend a ton of time on and are far enough along in the process that I can complete them within a day or two. Normally though it is simple…I gesso over what I started and start from scratch. I have many canvases that are ready to be gessoed!

How do you get out of your creative ruts?
The best way for me to do this is to get outside and doing something physical. Walking, gardening, mowing the lawn…all these things seems to drive the demons away, clear my mind and allow for me to purge the negative thoughts (which are always a bummer when you are trying to be creative) and be tired enough to get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow is another day. I never sit around worrying about it. That accomplishes nothing. At 52 I know that things are cyclical and being in non-creative moods is just part of being human. Perhaps Gods way of saying stop and go enjoy life.


Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing?
Hehehe….all the time! More so when I was younger but I still do these days. It used to drive my son out of his mind when he was a teen. He had some CD’s I liked and when his friends would come over and they would be hanging playing music I couldn’t control myself and would be out in the kitchen kickin it old school! HA! His friends used to think it was great and think I was a very cool mom. My son was horrified and thought I should be more like June Cleaver I guess :/


What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
I have to say it is not so much advice as a concept. My mother was big on personal responsibility. She instilled in me the understanding that I am creator of my own destiny. My life will be good or not so good as a direct result of the choices I make…so take the time to make wise choices. I did not always follow her advise as I was quite impulsive growing up (and can be still :P) but at the end of the day if things did not work out as I had planned I have always been able to say to myself and to others I am responsible for this and am willing to take my licks. I wish this simple concept would be engrained in every child growing up. The world would be so much different if people all accepted responsibility for their actions. Hey we can dream right!

Where can people find your work?
Currently I am selling my work online at Etsy and Yessy. I will soon be selling at Fine Art America as well. For anyone in the western MA area I will accept appointments to view my canvases available.

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http://www.facebook.com/ArtbyCindyColumbia

Some wonderful items I found browsing through my favorites.

JesseByah

Syds

RareSpecimens

Madden & Lloyd

Southern Wood

Tell us a little about yourself
My name is Danielle, and I'm from Long Island, NY. I'm a single mother of four (3 cats and 1 rabbit) who enjoys birding, playing guitar, and photography. I'm a vegan who loves animals, music, and being outdoors in any kind of weather.

Where does your inspiration come from?
Much of my inspiration comes from dreams; especially my photography and post-processing. I think many people have experienced that -- waking up with ideas in your head that seem to come from nowhere.


Who or what has been most influential in your craft?
I'm involved in many different crafts, so it's hard to say what has influenced me most; I'm self-taught at much of what I do. I've been crocheting for several years; getting more serious about photography for about 8 years; playing guitar for about the same amount of time. I think the online communities I'm involved in have played a huge role in giving me the motivation to improve and be more creative, for sure.

How would you describe your creative process?
My creative process is far from exciting. An idea comes to me and I try to make it a reality. Sometimes it just becomes a lesson in patience, lol. Many times, I'd scrap an idea after trying to make it work without success. Other times, things just seem to fall into place.


What makes your items “unique”?
My Etsy shop is fairly new. At the present time, I am only selling statement bracelets (and a few necklaces) solely for the purpose of spreading positive messages while donating funds to charity. I think my "vegan" items are unique simply because there aren't many bracelets and such available that state "vegan". I do have other items that state "love", "hope", "peace"... and all are sold for the purpose of charity fund raising. :-)

Tell us more about the charity you donate your proceeds to.
Donations will be made to the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary (www.woodstocksanctuary.org) in Willow, NY. Ever since I visited the sanctuary in 2008, I've been making small donations each holiday. The place is a haven for animals who have been rescued from deplorable conditions of abuse and neglect. It's a place of peace and hope, and I encourage everyone to visit them at least once. You won't forget it.


What celebrity would you most like to wear your items?
Oh, I would love to see Ellen DeGeneres wear one of my bracelets!

What's you favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is climbing a tree right outside our kitchen door, with my favorite stuffed animal in my backpack. When I got as high as I could go, I just sat there watching the birds, feeling the breezes, and hugging my stuffie for the whole afternoon. If that tree was still there, I'd go back and do it again.

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Let's get to know each other! Below are a few fun personality questions. Feel free to answer a few or all of them.


1. Do you play any instruments?
No I don't play any instruments. When I was younger I wanted to play the clarinet but never got a chance to. I did own a piano for several years but I never bother to learn. I just banged on the keys and pretended I knew what I was doing.


2. Who was the last person you called?
My kids at home. I don't talk on the phone a lot. I normally just call my house, my husband or my sister. In fact I think last month I only used 69 minutes! I use my cell phone more for texting and internet surfing.


3. Where do you plan on going for your next vacation?
We are saving to go on a cruise. Our kids are in their teens and we think this would be the perfect time for us to go. Its still a couple of years away but I am excited about it.


4. Who's your favorite TV attorney?
I love Alicia Florrick from the CBS show "The Good Wife". There is just something about her demeanor and personality that I really like. Its my new favorite show.


5. Where do you go for advice?
My husband :-) I know it might sound corny but he is truly my best friend. He listens to my mindless rambling and when I need advice he's always there.


Now its your turn...