Tag: handmade

An old soul

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 3 Comments

My sisters like to call me an old soul. I wouldn’t define my style as retro by any standards, but I do like old things: Bess, my press, old houses, repurposed furniture, and lately, heirloom crafts. In the last couple weeks, I’ve rediscovered my love for embroidery. I’m not going to lie to you—it’s putsy and incredibly slow, but there’s something lovely about single strands of glossy thread laying just right against a fabric. Plus, I’ve been trying to pare down the amount of stuff I own—and this is the perfect thing to create so as not to accumulate even more!

This morning I thought I’d share a few of the embroiderers who are inspiring me—enjoy, and look for new work from yours truly soon!

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: I’m a typography nut. Typography-inspired embroidery has been my latest project… and while I’m still working out the kinks, I love it! Look for new work in the shop soon, otherwise I found the examples above on Pinterest!

I always admire artists who can create something truly abstract, as that’s something I struggle with. I beleive art has to be made with purpose in order to be art, so I have a difficult time just working with pattern or texture and no subject. I love this simple color progression from Sometimes I Swirl. I say simple because the design is clean and modern and the stitch is repetitive—but after my recent projects, I know this took a lot of work!

There’s something weird and wonderful about a technical drawing reproduced in thread—or any unexpected medium really. Why wouldn’t you want a 9 inch illustration of a Buckminster Fuller Dymaxion Car on your wall? I can’t think of a single reason.

Last but not least, something a little more traditional. I love simple and clean traditional motifs—they always look modern but can work in with any decor style. This miniature version in the form of a brooch by Skrynka is a great example. I told you I was an old soul!

And finally, my own embroidered wallhanging was included in several treasuries not too long ago. Thanks to Lotus and Janneke Hoekstra for the inclusions!

Ida Estelle

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been doing a lot of shopping lately, and it seems every trendy store I walk into has these beaded leather wrap bracelets. At once earthy and glamorous, I’ve been coveting one for weeks! Instead of buying a piece shipped from who-knows-where, I decided to see what the sellers on etsy had to offer. Lo and behold, I found the very talented Allison Rennemo just a few states away in Denver, CO.

In her shop, Ida Estelle, Allison offers not only the classic brown/metallic combinations, but also green, red, purple, blue…. all in a variety of sizes and patterns. She’s been in business for a few years, sales are picking up and she generously shares her secrets to success! Enjoy.

Tell us about your work—why do you create what you do?
I grew up in a DIY family, so whether I was painting with my mom, working on some sewing project with my sister or assisting my dad with his latest contraption I was used to working with my hands. I love seeing the before and after, so for me, making these bracelets is instant gratification. I wonder what a certain color of leather will look like with a certain metal or gemstone, and voila, there it is!

How did you learn your craft? Tell us about your process—start to finish. How do you source your materials?
I learned to make these by trying a bunch of different processes…a lot of trial and A LOT of error! I had seen something similar a few years, studied it, bought some materials I thought would work at my local bead shop and went from there. Now that I have my methods down, I know what sort of beads and leathers will work for me. When I’m shopping for materials I don’t always know how I’m going to use them…I’m a little impulsive so I when I see stones or metals that spark a feeling of creativity in me, I buy it! Sometimes I’ll use those materials right away, sometimes it will take a few months for me to decide what to do with them.

Where do you work? What type of environment stimulates your creativity?
My dream is to have a room full of shelves, drawers and windows with a huge drafting table (at standing height) dedicated to all my projects and bracelets. I’m working on making this dream a reality but at the moment I work mainly at my dining room table which overlooks the Rockies. Nature is a big inspiration to me and always helps ignite my creativity, so if I can see outside, I’m good.

How has your work evolved?
When I first started making jewelry I was really concerned with what I thought other people would like and stuck to really basic pieces. Now, after making the same style bracelet for about two years, I have found that I need to make pieces that inspire me and reflect my lifestyle. If I don’t love a piece I made and wouldn’t wear it, I wont sell it.

What is your greatest challenge?
It’s challenging to put all the pieces together…sourcing materials, designing, hand making all the product, pricing, marketing, researching new ways to grow a business and keeping up with paperwork can be really overwhelming when you’re doing it by yourself. I love every second of it though!

What inspires you?
I’m inspired by everything. I literally have hundreds of notes written everywhere with ideas and thoughts I’ve had while being somewhere, doing something or meeting someone. I revise the previous question…my greatest challenge? Keeping all my notes of inspiration straight.

Tell us about your etsy business.
My sister introduced me to Etsy about three years ago when she opened her own vintage shop on the website called Extra Virgin Home. She opened her shop about the time I was first interested in making these “awesome new wrap bracelets” I had seen in a magazine. While I was helping my sister with her vintage shop I had been making my bracelets for friends and family. On a trip home about six months later my grandma asked me why I hadn’t started my own shop on Etsy…I thought, a shop for what? Oh, right, my bracelets! So, I made a profile on Etsy, photographed some of my bracelets and started my shop.

My beginner mistake was thinking that’s all you had to do, the “if you build it they will come” mentality. That was not the case. It took me about six months to really get on board with selling on Etsy…posting items everyday, visiting other shops and expanding my product line. I feel lucky that I’m in a place in my life that I can focus on growing Ida Estelle into a full fledged business. Whereas before it was more of a hobby, now it’s my full time job. This next year I’m focusing on expanding my online reach with tools like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.


What advice do you have for new etsians?
I think my biggest piece of advice is to be your own biggest fan! For so long, I would down play my jewelry and I didn’t think what I was doing was that special or unique. Now, I’m 100% on board with what I’m doing and am looking forward to expanding my product line and getting my brand out there.

Where can readers find your work?
Currently, other than Etsy.com, I’m selling my items at a shop in Telluride, CO called Telluride Naturals. I have a few other things in the works, including selling my jewelry at an event called Family Circle Cup this Spring in South Carolina.

Other places you can find me:
Visit the official website idaestelle.com
Buy Ida Estelle’s famous wraps on idaestelle.etsy.com
Follow Ida Estelle’s adventure @ida_estelle
Like Ida Estelle facebook.com/idaestelle

Faith

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

Over my Christmas print-stravaganza, I printed a verse that my mom had requested a couple years ago. I had light blue on the press and I thought it would look great, but after just one impression, I knew this verse would be better un-inked. Powerful words need nothing extra, and I hope this piece reminds you to have faith.

Have faith in others.

Have faith in yourself.

Have faith that it will all work out.

Have faith in your decisions.

Have faith that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Have faith that you’re the only one who knows what is right for you.

Interview: charm LA

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Academia sometimes gets a bad rap from artsy types—after all, how can you teach creativity? However, sometimes a university environment is the perfect mix of a safe place for experimentation and just the right amount of challenge. Such was the case for Sarah Sherman of charm LA. Here’s the story of how she came up with her brilliant Sumba mixing bowls (which appeared in one of my gift guides last month), started her etsy shop and graduated—in her own words.

Tell us about your work—why do you create what you do?
Sumba was created for my senior thesis project at Otis College of Art and Design. I graduated last May. As someone that cooks frequently, I noticed that there was a disconnect between how kitchen tools are designed and how they are actually used. This came to my attention one day when I was cooking with my Aunt Sarah who has arthritis in her hands; she spilled the batter to a cake everywhere because it was hard for her to hold. I designed Sumba so it would do three essential tasks at once. Make it easier to pour, it incorporates a tilt to make it easer to mix, and has a lip to make it easier hold.


How did you learn your craft? Tell us about your process.
I learned about ceramics while at art school, so I have only been working in clay for about 3 years. Believe it or not, I had never touched clay in my live till my sophomore year in Product Design. I soon fell in love with the medium and took 3 semesters of ceramic classes with my teacher and my mentor, Joan Takayama-Ogawa. During this time I also became the ceramics departments TA and kiln tech.

In the classes, I learned new ceramics production techniques as wells as hand building and throwing techniques. I designed Sumba in a 3D program called Rhino. Then it was prototyped using a 3D printer, form that I made the molds, slipped casted and fired all the work at my school.


Where do you work? What type of environment stimulates your creativity?
Currently I have been creating my ceramics in my kitchen. I am in the process of converting my basement in to a proper ceramics studio. I don’t have any specific environment that stimulates my creativity, but I like to have a clean working enjoyment. As a ritual I always clean a space before I work. Other wise its hard to focus when there is visual clutter everywhere.

How has your work evolved?
I think my greatest evolution I had in school was my concern for my audience. It is important that my work has integrity, durability and beauty. I would like to believe my work is more user friendly. It is important that my work has integrity, durability and beauty. I now create work for many, when used to paint in high school, I painted my work was only for a small audience and myself. I am now more interested in making things that have utility.

What is your greatest challenge?
My greatest challenge since graduating has been losing my community. Although I still see my friends from school I miss the environment at Otis. There is something special about being surrounded by people that are all creative.


What inspires you?
Other people inspire me, anybody that is masterful at what they do, not just artist or designers, but people that have passion and dedication. They can be found anywhere, from that mom making all of Thanksgiving from scratch, to those surfers on the beach that always seem to have a smile on there face.

Tell us about your etsy business. How did you discover etsy.com? Any beginner mistakes?
I started my etsy two months ago. I heard about it threw word of mouth. I would say that my beginner mistake was not having a pay pal account set up. I had lost a few sales because of that.

Etsy is not my full time job but I would like to make it that way. I am currently a working as design junior for small design firm based in LA. We hope to have a show coming up late march next year at the Pacific Design Center.

On blogging

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 2 Comments

Happy New Year! 622 press has had some exciting developments that I’m so excited to share with you this morning!

First of all, I owe you a big thank you! On December 29, this blog had 216 page views—our biggest day yet! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and checked out 622 press. And welcome to any new readers!

Next up: While I took a break from blogging last week, I of course didn’t really take the week off. I’m happy to announce that Bess (my letterpress) now has her very own fan page on facebook. Follow her for up-to-the-minute updates on what we’re printing and even more photos and content… all from Bess’s point of view!

And finally, if you’re a comment reader, you noticed that Spin. Sew. Sketch. nominated me for a Leibster blog award in December. Honestly, I’ve never heard of this award, so while I was honored to be nominated, it took me a little while to get a grasp of what exactly it is. In the best way possible, Leibster kind of reminds me of a chain letter you used to send as a kid. Passed from blogger to blogger, it’s simply a way to share the love for small blogs just doing their best to create great content. Without further adieu, here are my nominations for Leibster awards!

I know I said I wouldn’t write about Mollie for a while, but if I’m being honest, hers is the only blog I read with any consistency these days. She lives in Utah, she has a cool life, funny dogs, beautiful insights and great adventures. What more could you want from a lifestyle blog?

Second, Fashion at Liberty—hub of all things fashion, fair trade and fabulous. Stephanie Carnes was an intern at BRAVA many semesters ago, where we were all impressed with her interview skills as well as her home decor aesthetic. She’s extended that taste level beyond the home to bring light to designers, manufacturers and retail outlets with a conscience.

While I’m certainly not getting married again any time soon, I do love the idea of throwing a beautifully decorated party. I follow the Perfect Palatte on Pinterest like nobody’s business and I love all the inspiration she lends!

One Fine Day is a production company based here in Wisconsin. Their blog isn’t exactly a blog for blog’s sake, but if you are seeking inspiration (or are in the mood for a good cry—seriously, these videos choke me up every time), just hit play!

And finally, Peach Farm Studio’s blog. A letterpress-photo-poetry studio, I appreciate the organic nature of their blogging and navigation, it encourages getting lost in their world!