Buying Made in America

Maybe the title should be "Trying to Find Made in America." I saw the news shows about buying Made in America and how important it is to do so. I saw the list of companies who are located here in the States, but let me tell ya, finding the items at my local Walmart is like finding hen's teeth (I've raised chickens…no teeth). For all the advertising Wally did about more American made items you'd think there was enough to buy some….hmmm. A few months ago I decided I wasn't buying anything not made here and had to surrender when I couldn't find USA made underwear. It was close to tragic.
After hearing my husband complain that our dishes were ugly I decided to shop for dishes. I had to give it to him, the dishes were ugly….rust stains that no amount of scrubbing would cure…just made them uglier…so I drove my happy a** to Walmart and started looking. Lots of cute dishes but most made in China. BHG…made in China. Pfaltzgraff….made in China. Ugh!!! Finally, I found made in America….Corelle by Corning, the folks who made Pyrex, proudly made in the USA. A pretty swirled red and gray pattern on white and I was good to go. More expensive than the others but…..I guess it's a matter of putting my money where my big mouth is.
Anyway, my dishes are no longer ugly but the story doesn't end there. I stopped in the fabric section and was looking at some military theme fabric….like Air Force, Marines, Army….nice fabric but guess what….Made in China!! I felt like I was slapped in the face. There was Made in USA military fabric about a year ago. All gone forever? Who would think this would be so difficult? Definitely not me. A woman could go naked looking for Made in America……

Black Friday Sales on Etsy: Miss Eileen’s Picks 11.18.11

Black Friday Sales gearing up throughout the country. The news, print, cyber, and the airwaves are full of Black Friday advertising (what did you think I was going to say?). There’s a number of shops planning Black Friday sales on Etsy, too. Oh, you’ll probably miss a few things, like standing in line in the cold or buying something everyone else has or buying something mass produced. You’ll spend a little more, too, like more time with family and more time hearing oohs and ahhs over a gift that was handmade. No missing turkey dinner and the good feeling of giving a hand crafted gift. I think I like that a whole lot so this week’s Etsy Picks is dedicated to shops with Black Friday Sales on Etsy. Let’s see what’s there:

  Pine Cone Garland by Kzannoart For a little rustic feel.

 

Black Wooden Filigree Earrings by Expressions by Cheree I can’t get over the fine detail done in these wooden earrings.

   Howlite and Silver Button Cuff Bracelet by MV Treasures  Big, bold, and chunky. Destined to make a statement!

   Zebra Stripes and Dots Crayon Roll by Mrs Crafty RVing With so much going on, the little ones need something to do. This fits the bill. Make a good little stocking stuffer?, too.

   Small Seafood Spice Kit by Cook Outside the Box For the foodie.

Cassette Tape Night Light Lamp by Break the Record Unusual and good looking!

 Large Hoop Handmade Silver and Burgundy Paper Quilled Earrings by Honey’s Hive Amazing work. Beautiful, too.

 Aqua Fingerless Mittens by Knit Wit Boutique Love the color.

OK, those are my picks. Got a favorite? Vote for the item you like the most. Winning shop gets an interview with me, Miss Eileen.

Congrats to last week’s winner, Shaka Soap and their amazing Handmade Glycerin Soap Fresh Snow.

Post by Miss Eileen

Miss Eileen’s Etsy Picks are dedicated to new and upcoming shops. I receive no gifts or money in exchange for inclusion on the “Picks.” If you know of a shop that you think is overlooked and has awesome finds, leave me a comment and I will take a look.

Goldsmith Glass: Beautiful Stained Glass

Chai Judaism Multi Color Stained Glass

Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff)
  My name is Zachary Goldsmith and I currently live with my family in historic New Castle, Alabama near Birmingham. I am a student at the University of Alabama in Birmingham where I am seeking an undergraduate degree in chemistry. My ultimate goal after I earn my bachelor's degree is to attend medical school and then go into family practice medicine. Out of the five children my parents had, I am the second oldest and the only boy which made for an interesting childhood. I learned at an early age to either play Barbies with my sisters or I would be stuck playing by myself. My family is Jewish and since we live in a not so Jewish area, it can be weird at times. Unlike most of the guys my age I have waist length hair and a full beard. I have learned in life to march out of time to my own drum.

 Original Design Stained Glass Star of David

What are your favorite materials?
   As you can probably guess from looking at my shop, I love working with stained glass. My favorite glass to work with is water-glass which is made by Spectrum. As the name suggests water-glass has nice soft waves that looks like water. When it comes to solder I like to use 60/40, it melts well and it is easy to get a good bead with it. I use lead-free solder in some of my work like boxes, pendants or
anything else that will be touched a lot. But other than things like that, I don't like the lead-free solder as it has a higher melting point than 60/40. On top of that, it causes my soldering iron tip to oxidize which means I have to keep dipping my soldering iron tip into some flux.

What is your favorite color combination?
   I like a lot of bright color in my work, but if I had to chose my favorite combo, amber and cobalt rough-roll glass are my favorites.

 Nerd Hanging Dorm Art Stained Glass Derivative OOAK

 

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why
did you make it?
   Before my parents got married my mom made a lot of things for art and craft shows. She homeschooled us so arts and craft were a big part of my childhood. When I was a kid I used to make my own birthday cards for my family members. On the back of each card I made I would write  “Zachmark”, a spoof on Hallmark.

 Victorian Hanging Window Glass Art Original Design OOAK

What inspires you?
   The biggest inspiration for me is a blank sheet of paper. That's where all of my work begins. I just start looking at the paper and ideas start flowing.

What are your greatest challenges? How do you overcome them?
   The greatest challenge for me is finding the right color of glass locally for my work. To overcome this I have bought sample sets of glass from different glass making companies. This allows me to buy the exact colors I need from the internet.

Where do your ideas come from?
   Most of my ideas come from things in my life like Mickey Mouse, math, video games,Victorian art and Judaism.

 Victorian Based Stained Glass Suncatcher with Red Glass Gems and a Blue Roundel

 Who is, or was, your greatest inspiration?
   I think it is impossible to pick out one person who has been the greatest inspiration to me. Each person I have met and each person's whose ideas I have been exposed to have at least in some small way added something to my life and by extension, to my work.

What is your favorite thing to do with your creativity?
  I like to create sun catchers, boxes, pendants and lanterns out of stained glass. I also like to play any musical instrument I can get my hands on. Everyone in my family except for my dad does wet-plate collodion photography. Most of you know the products of this process as tintype and ambrotype photographs. The difference between a tintype and an ambrotypes is that the tintype is done on japanned steel (not tin) and the ambrotypes are done on glass. Just like back then we take our pictures on japanned steel and dark colored stained glass. Unlike some of the modern practitioners we use the exact same chemicals they used back then. The most notable of these chemicals are potassium cyanide and silver nitrate. We mix the potassium cyanide in water and use it to fix our photographs. It is safe just as long as we don't drink our fixer or mix our developer in it. The developer contains glacial acetic acid which will liberate the cyanide from the fixer as hydrogen cyanide gas. Yeah, that's the chemistry major in me coming out! Most other wet-plate photographers are afraid to use potassium cyanide to fix their images, but you can't beat the clarity that the cyanide gives the photograph. A few of the photographs that we have taken have been published in national Civil War magazines, including one back cover were I was in the photograph dressed as a mid-nineteenth century civilian. My profile picture in my Etsy shop is actually a tintype of me dressed as a Union soldier. I plan in the near future to incorporate tintypes into to my stained glass artwork.

 Handmade Stained Glass CSA Table Lantern

Why should people buy handmade?
   Buying handmade gives you the freedom to discover new and unique items. When you buy handmade your supporting the production of new and innovative ideas

Any tips of wisdom on selling handmade item?
   One of the biggest tips I can give is to enjoy your work, don't let it become a chore. Keep creating new things and feel free to incorporate old ideas into new ones. Charge what your work is worth. Too many artists think the key to sells in the price. The key is finding the right people for your work.

 Iconic Mouse Hanging Window Glass Art

What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists?
   The woman who gave me my first lesson in stained glass making told me to make sure that all the glass in my work is running the right direction before I solder it together. Another important thing I
learned was that it's about impossible to darken zinc with patina.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
   Aside for making things out of stained glass, I spend my days playing the piano, studying, going to classes and if I have some free time, I'll play Halo with my sisters. I volunteer sometimes as an usher at the Alabama theater. The Alabama theater is a restored movie palace built in 1927 and has been an inspiration for some of my work. I'm also an nineteenth century living historian. I portray a Jewish Union soldier. Living in Alabama, I'm one of the few who wear will the blue uniform. My family on both sides fought for the South, but someone has to put on that Yankee uniform so the Confederates will have someone to shoot at. I also love math, for me math is analogous to crossword puzzles. I am hoping to become a volunteer at our local children's hospital and I would like to tutor hospitalized children in math so they don't fall behind.

Civil War 58 Caliber Minnie Ball Necklace

What are the Web addresses for your work?
Currently I'm selling my work on Etsy.com. My shop is Goldsmith Glass.

Are you offering my readers any specials?
I am offering 15% off any item your readers purchase from me. (This doesn't include shipping.) All they have to do is add a message when they purchase something stating they are readers of your blog and I will refund 15% of the item amount. If they prefer, they can also convo me in advance of purchasing and I will set it up on the listing. Whatever is easiest!

Thank you, Zach, for taking the time for this interview. Your work is amazing. Good luck with your studies.

To check out more of Zach’s work, click the link to Goldsmith Glass. It is well worth the click.

Remember the big Crafty sale going on Now at GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire. All decorating, doll, toys, handbags, and kits in the TOYS, BAGS, KITS sections are 40% off with the coupon code CRAFTY. Just use the coupon code during checkout to get the discount.

Post by Eileen of GoofingOff.etsy.com and MissEileen.etsy.com

Miss Eileen’s Etsy Picks July 8, 2011

Good Friday, everyone! How was your Fourth? Lots of fireworks? We had some rain so the fire ban was lifted and there were plenty of fireworks. We are into hard core summer now, Beach, sun, fun. Let’s take a peek at what I’ve found on Etsy.
Can’t go to the beach (or anywhere else) without something to carry all those summer essentials.
        Vintage Geraniums Summer Carry All Tote by GreenBugBags Made from repurposed vintage thrifted fabric
                                 Funky Cute Tote by JitterBag Colorful and cute.

                Stylized Pink Lily Flower Small size tote bag by Amy305

        Simple Tote Blue and White Crisp and Clean by NJayedesigns
                Hip 3 Color Fabric Messenger Sling by Bagabilities  Good size for sightseeing and carrying light.
                          Essi Tote in cobalt faux suede by Raramodo  What a fabulous weekender!

                                     Vintage Tote by 2ChicDesigns
                 Large Whimsical Hand Painted Cat Tote by Ceinnamoss
So, what do you think? Cute bags? Check out my treasury on Etsy for more bags  MissEileen’s Etsy Picks: Just Bags. Voting starts as soon as I put up the poll in the upper left corner. Winner gets a feature blog interview.

Enjoy!
Post by Eileen Patterson.
Goofingoff Sewing Supplies                                             GoofingOff.etsy.com                                            Goofingoff.Artfire.com
Vintage fashion and home decor                                                        MissEileen.etsy.com
Unusual and unique finds                          MetalWoodsnwater.etsy.com                          MetalWoodsnWater.artfire.com


In case you wonder how I decide what goes on the blog, I look for new shops, cool ideas, repurpose and recycled items or supplies, and great pictures.

Curly Girl Crochet: Beautiful Creations from Yarn

A couple of weeks ago Etsy artists from the beautiful state of Michigan were featured in Miss Eileen’s Etsy Picks. Here is Curly Girl Crochet, one of the talented Etsians from Michigan.

 Trellis Scarf

 

Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff)

My name is Jodie Creguer and I live in Byron Center, Michigan USA, along with my hubby and two young children. I am happy and proud to be a Michigander. I love our beautiful state! I love spending time with my family, crocheting, reading, watching movies, and gardening.

What are your favorite materials?

My favorite materials are yarn and vintage buttons. I love any kind of yarn - if it catches my eye, I buy it and make something gorgeous with it! I have loved buttons, especially vintage ones, ever since I was a young girl and my grandma used to let me sort through her beautiful tin full of buttons.

    Tote Bag in Blues and Greens

What is your favorite color combination?

I love all colors, but especially reds, greens, orange, and turquoise blue. At the moment my favorite color combination is blue and green.

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?

The first thing I remember making by hand were potholders when I was around 9 or 10. I had a potholder kit that came with a loom and different color loops that you weaved across to make the potholders. I sold them door to door in my neighborhood (yes, I started young!).

  Mixed Berries Scarf

What inspires you?

Many things inspire me. Things I see inspire me, but first and foremost, colors inspire me. Often when I see a yarn and love the color(s) I can picture in my mind what I can make with it and then I'm off and running! Sometimes I will look at the sky as the sun is setting and think "Those colors would make a beautiful scarf!"

     Embroidered Flower Cuff

Where do your ideas come from?

My ideas often come from conversations I have with friends and family. Friends and family are always good resources for ideas. Also, sometimes I will see a yarn/yarn color and I just know it will make a beautiful scarf, shawl, etc.

     Harvest Cowl

Who is, or was, your greatest inspiration?

My greatest inspiration are my customers. I have had wonderful feedback from my customers and they share stories with me about how they are enjoying something I made. I also love hearing from customers who tell me funny and sweet stories about how their cats are enjoying their cat toys. Many have sent me pictures of their cats enjoying their toys and one customer even sent me a video of her cat playing with her new toys! Stories like this warm my heart. I couldn't ask for better inspiration!

        Robin’s Egg Blue Coasters

What is your favorite thing to do with your creativity?

My favorite thing to do with my creativity is to share it with others through my crocheted creations. I love knowing that someone is enjoying their soft, warm shawl that I made or that their cat's are playing with and enjoying their new toys that I made.

Why should people buy handmade? Any tips of wisdom on selling handmade items?

People should buy handmade because by doing so you are supporting a true artist. Handmade items beat mass made items hands down in their quality, uniqueness, and creativity. Love, pride, and thought go into each stitch, each piece, and it shows. I would rather buy a unique, one of a kind creation that no one else has from an artist rather than a mass produced piece that everyone has.

What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists?

The most valuable thing I have learned from other artists is that there is a real person behind every shop. I have met so many wonderful friends on Etsy!
 Shawl in Blue and Brown

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Apart from running my online Shop, I have run a licensed day care in my home for the past 3 years and take care of my two young children. I love it! Every day is an adventure :)

What are the Web addresses for your work?

www. CurlyGirlCrochet.etsy.com

Are you offering my readers any specials?

As a thank you to you and your readers, I am offering a 10% discount on any items in my Shop through July 23. :) Just enter coupon code "GOOFINGOFF10" during checkout to receive your discount. Thank you very much!

I just love Curly Girl’s work. Very pretty. The 10% discount is good, too. Just right to help you get started on your Christmas and Chanukah shopping. Order those gifts now and kick back later, maybe make cookies or just enjoy the holidays without so much fuss.

Post by Eileen Patterson.

Goofingoff Sewing Supplies GoofingOff.etsy.com                                                Goofingoff.Artfire.com      

Vintage fashion and home decor                                                        MissEileen.etsy.com      

Unusual and unique finds                          MetalWoodsnwater.etsy.com                            MetalWoodsnWater.artfire.com

Miss Eileen’s Etsy Picks 7.1.11: Happy Birthday USA!!!

Bring on the fireworks! Today starts the Fourth of July Independence Day Celebration weekend in the United States. In the USA, Independence Day is celebrated with parades, barbecues, going to the beach, racing, and finally, capping the evening off with fireworks in the night sky.

Independence Day Country Skirt by ForgetMeNotShop             How adorable!


Nascar Plate by ThreeSistersPlates Just right to serve those munchies to snack on while you’re watching the race.

Liberty Stroller Sized Blanket by HeatherJaneDesign Ready for the parade!
                                  Patriotic Fireworks ID Badge Holder by DabbleDoos Some of us have to work……:( but what a way to show our colors!

Recycled Auto Piston Desk Clock by StevenShaverDesigns This is so beautiful. What a gift for the gearhead.
                Red White and Blue Stars 4th of July by LittlePolkaDot What fun! This would definitely brighten up a 4th of July party.

           The Skinny Cotton Jersey Scarf Necklace by EcoShag Beautiful, lush way to make a statement and show your colors.

Red, White, and Blue Flip Flops Women’s/Girls’ by AlannahsGarden01 Are there any shoes for summer other than flip flops?

So, what do you think of my picks? Fun and patriotic? Now it is up to you to vote for your favorite.
Don’t forget to stop by the GoofingOff shops, MissEileen.etsy for awesome vintage, GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.artfire for sewing supplies and patterns, and MetalWoodsNWater.etsy and artfire for unusual and unique supplies and creations. Look for us on Facebook!

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

New to You: Thrifting in Dixie County, FL

Today is Monday which for me means a trip into town. I know that sounds a bit weird to y’all who live with a post office and a grocery store on every corner. We live in the country so a trip to the closest store is 10 miles, not to mention the post office, bank, and so on. Monday is my day to go shopping. Since it is a “have-to” I try to spice it up with a little bit of fun stuff, namely thrifting.

Cross City, Florida is a small town on Florida’s west coast, only here we don’t call it the west coast, we call the Nature Coast. It is about 150 miles north of St. Petersburg, 50 miles south of Perry, and 50 miles west of Gainesville. In other words, not close to anything. It is a town described as 20 years or more behind the times which is fine with me and most of the inhabitants.  I go often enough to be recognized and one of the crowd, even if I wasn’t born there.

In Cross City are at least 4 thrift shops where you can find anything from clothes to books to real antiques; just takes some looking.

Today I stopped at New to You Consignment on US 19 next to McDonald’s. There is no telling what good things you’ll find in her shop. Kathy, the owner, goes through everything and puts out clothes daily for her sidewalk sale where everything is 25 cents. Inside the shop are deals, clothes, home decor, housewares, you name it. Here’s some of the things I found there:

Vintage Havilland Limoges Bone China Boudoir Basket

Vintage Hat Box

Vintage Kodak Camera.

I’ve even found peach lusterware and McCoy Cookie jars! Besides those finds I harvest bows, buttons, roses, trim, and fabric from the racks whenever possible to provide supplies for my own creations.

Today the pickin’s were a little slimmer than other days but I still found a few things to use. I got a desk organizer (to help me in my never-ending quest to organize my office), some old t-shirts (for dog and cat toys), and some clothes for the fabric (pin cushions and ring pillows?).

Well, that’s all for now. Since I bought the desk organizer I guess I ought to put it to good use and straighten up this messy desk. It will be nice and clean, at least for a day or two.

Hope you enjoyed the chicken chili from yesterday’s post.

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy and GoofingOff.Artfire

Coupons, Freebies, and Saving Money

For those who haven't figured it out yet, I like to shop. Not only do I like to shop, I like to save money while shopping, and before I forget, get freebies. I figure, I have to buy some things, so I might as well save as many little Lincolns as possible. With that in mind, I thought I would post some of my favorite links to saving those little Lincolns, and maybe a buck or two. Oh yeah, before I forget, there is usually freebies offered, too. Let's face it, there is just something special about getting something in the mail for nothing. It's like Christmas all the time! Yippee! And I am all about free. So here goes. These are some super good sites with links to save a buck. Some give coupons, others tell you what's on sale where, and, just look. You'll see what I mean. Too cool to pass up. The fabuLESS Never Pay Retail Again Daily Deal Digest Here's the link: http://neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com/ This one is my fave. Links to whatever is on sale in my neck of the woods (FL) but some all-over-the-country stuff, too. ConsumerQueen.com http://www.consumerqueen.com/ Not bad. Always new stuff to check out. Red Plum http://www.redplum.com/Default.aspx Lots of stuff. Lots of coupons. They're the folks that put the coupons in the Sunday papers. Need I say more? Here's a site I just found (I don't want to say new because it probably isn't). My Baton Rouge Mommy http://www.mybatonrougemommy.com/ Lots of coupons and links. I'm sure most folks have favorites of their own. Share them. We all need to save a buck with this economy. OK, there you go. Go forth and save money!!

Miracles of Hanukkah

Hanukkah is coming and a Hanukkah party with a scavenger hunt is going on now to get everyone in the mood. There are wonderful prizes and great creations waiting to be discovered. There are 37 shops taking part in the party. Check it out! Look for the menorahs in the shops and win prizes! Go to http://etsychai.blogspot.com/2009/11/miracles-of-hanukkah-promotion-sales.html and click on the links. Get your Christmas, ahem, Hanukkah shopping list done with wonderful gifts....and have a jelly doughnut while you're there. L'Chiaim!