Ecclectic Ladyland Studio Feature

Angelique from Ecclectic Ladyland creates beaded jewelry items, which she sells on Artfire. Do check out her store, if only to take a look at her great store banner! Angelique shared some information with me about her life and art practice, as well as some photos of her studio and a work in progress:

Secret Safe Books Studio Feature

Kara from Secret Safe Books' niche product is a series of books with their insides cut-out so that valuables can be hidden within.

What I love about these books is that they are real. Kara is happy to accept custom orders if buyers want a specific book used or a particular shape cut-out from within the book. This customization ensures that the book looks perfectly natural in your home/office. This is important because you can use these Secret Safe Books to hold your passport, money, keys or other valuables. . .and the uniqueness of the book means that it won't easily stand out on a shelf.

Check out Kara in her studio:

Even if custom ordering isn't what you're after, I'm sure you'll find something that you'll like from the extensive collection of books in both the cult classics/pop culture and classics/keepsakes sections. Just take a look at some of the 'pre-made' books Kara has on offer:

Joyous Treasures Studio Feature

A handmade gift is a joy to give and a treasure to keep.

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Johanna, who specializes in crocheted nature-inspired bookmarks. Johanna creates these beautiful pieces and sells them on her Etsy site.

Johanna answered a few of my questions:

Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Illinois. My family moved to middle Tennessee when I was in my preteens, where we began farming. The rest of my years have been spent enjoying nature and family.
My family is large...I have 7 brothers and sisters and wonderful parents!

How did you come up with your Etsy shop name?

I wanted something that reflected one of my most cherished possessions. My joy! And since I consider each of my creations to be a treasure, it seemed only fitting to call my little business Joyous Treasures.

What is your favourite item in your shop and why?

I absolutely love my bookmarks. Right now My favorite bookmarks are the daffodil and lily, though my favorite flowers do change from time to time.

I love my bookmarks because they are so unique. I love to read, and they come in handy. My books always look neat with a flower in them, and they always cheer me up.

Apart from creating beautiful pieces, what else do you do?

I have a variety of passions and hobbies. For some time photography has been a huge passion. I started out with my dad's film camera when I was young, and eventually invested in a nice digital SLR. I've begun adding more and more equipment, and have started doing photography for people locally.

I also enjoy music, I play the piano. I especially enjoy improvising orchestral pieces, and reconstructing them so they fit the piano.

I also enjoy a little bit of jewelry making when I get the time, I love sparkly crystals.

What are you working on at the moment, or what future plans do you have for your shop?

Right now I am working on honing my niche, and adding new and unusual designs.
I am trying to take this one step at a time...once I have determined what products I should be creating (aside from my bookmarks), I would like to focus more on marketing to my target market.

Any other sites you can be found on?

I have a blog, This is where I promote fellow Etsy sellers, and share business advice.

I also write articles for Handmade Spark, a site Timothy Adam created to share advice and business tips with the world. Click here to find me.

And I can also be found on Twitter

Fresh Cut Fabrics Studio

Having an online store is great because one doesn't need to pay for a physical space to sell their products from. For me, I can easily fit the small items I sell in my storage room, but what about larger items, like fabric? The joint mother/daughter team of Eileen and Karena sell fabric and patterns online at Fresh Cut Fabrics, and as you can see below, store everything in Karena's basement:

Inventory Stockroom - Vancouver

A Curation of Ideas in Product, Craft and Culture

Stores with carefully curated selections of products housed in heritage buildings particularly intrigue me. The 'problem' is that the curated products on their own, lying on a wooden table or on an old-looking shelf, make me curious to know more. . . why were these objects chosen and what makes them so special? 

Gastown, a historic area in Vancouver where design, decor and fashion stores sit next to tourist shops, has a new addition to the neighbourhood – Inventory Stockroom.

photos from Inventory website

Inventory magazine, which spawned the Stockroom store, features: 

some of the most inspiring and talented people in the industry, as well as editorials, reviews and original photography (from Inventory Magazine site) 

Textile Jewelry by Katrinshine - Shop Feature

Katrinshine creates beautiful corsets, fabric necklaces and fabric 'swirl' totes where she lives in Italy. She has sent along some photos of where she lives:

Here are a few of my favourite items from Katrinshine's store:

Isn't that red Renaissance dress gorgeous?

Kim Ann Rose Saturday Studio Feature

Kim Rose Colored Glass is the shop of Kimberly Ann Rose. She creates stained-glass style wall hangings, keychains, fans, dog tags and more! We've already gotten to know Kim from her interview she gave during the 30 Days of Giveaways event. This photo of Kim in her studio shows a bit of her design process:

Here are some more amazing things made by Kim:

Hi Girls Studio Feature

This is the first official Studio Saturday post. Each week I will bring you a post featuring an artist's studio, some examples of their work and a short interview with them. Alternatively, or sometimes in addition to, I will feature a physical store with pictures of what they carry and more.

If you would like to be included in these features and have an online store or are an artist with pictures of your studio space (even your living room, if that is where you work!) please email me.  

I would like to introduce you to Lisa who owns the shop HiGirls. Lisa creates handbags, jewelry and household items. 

Here are some pictures of Lisa's studio space and what she has to say about it:

The floor cloth is of course handmade by me. This is a former guest room on the third floor of our victorian house. As you can see, I've made it quite comfy. Futon works as extra bed when the house is full! I especially love my folding, rolling work table. It converts into an ironing table as well.