Extraordinary Things Start Small: WunderAround Blown Glass Trunk Show at Herban Lifestyle 11/29

Here is our interview with Etsy artist Beth Hess of Wunder Around. She will be demo’ing how to make terrariums using her handblown glass vases at our Small Business Saturday event, which takes place Saturday, November 29 from noon to 4pm at our Merrifield Store.

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When did you start your line and why?
I enjoy making colorful, functional pieces of blown glass that can be used (and enjoyed) everyday. I’m well into year two of my Threads Collections. These are highly touchable pieces with lots of texture. I started making white vases with various colors of “thread” on the outside and the collection has grown from there. I started my Duos Collection last year after returning from a trip to Iceland. The colors I saw there just begged to be recreated in glass. I started the Duos Collection to capture the intensity and juxtaposition of colors that I saw, and continue to find new color combinations around me everyday.

What were you doing previously?
I’ve always been a crafter and I love to experiment with new mediums and techniques. I took my first glassblowing class five years ago in June and fell in love with it. My professional background is in communications and I spent more than a decade helping nonprofits and businesses tell their story.

What do you love about owning your own business?
Doing it all. I enjoy things like making signage and updating my website in addition to the actual making.

What is the most challenging thing about owning your own business?
Doing it all. There’s always more that I could be doing, so prioritizing and making the best use of my time is a constant battle; along with keeping up with things like bookkeeping.

What inspires your work?
Color and the challenge of transforming 2,080 degree clear glass into something else entirely. Each color behaves differently as you’re working with it. I love the challenge of making an idea a reality in glass, the process of working with the glass itself and seeing what happens when light passes through the results.

Where do you see your line going from here?
I’ve been working for a while now with two-colors in each piece and recently started adding a third, and working on some new shapes to highlight them. I don’t know yet where it all will go, but am enjoying the process.

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The Business of Crafting: Upcoming Workshops with Kelly Rand

One of the most surprising things I found when I moved to this area nine years ago was the very active, highly involved crafting community – not something that is top of mind when you hear someone say, “Washington, DC.” When people ask how I have grown my business from a small Etsy Shop to what it is today, I always give credit to the support and resources provided by my fellow local crafters. In particular, Hello Craft and it’s board members (Sara Dick, Christine Ernest, Kelly Rand, Tina Seamonster, Debbie Lee and Liz Eckstein who were at the forefront of the DIY movement) have provided professional-level educational and networking opportunities for crafters interested in taking their businesses to the next level and have drawn nationally-recognized experts to their events.

In 2012, Kelly, Christine, Sara and Kimberly Dorn published Handmade to Sell, so that people everywhere can learn from their years of experience. And now, Kelly is offering a series of workshops, both in-person and online, for those who want to dive deep on various topics related to the business of crafting (here is a video one of the workshops she presented for Etsy).

Following is a list of Kelly’s upcoming workshops (in-persona and online) taking place from today through October. For more information on Kelly, her books, her workshops and speaker services, you can check out her website KellyRand.com. I highly recommend them!

Navigating the Handmade Marketplace

Join Kelly at the Maryland Institute College of Art for a lecture on how to navigate the handmade marketplace as an illustrator.

Monday September 15, 2014
12:15 pm
MICA, Lazarus Center Auditorium
131 West North Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland
Open to the public

Start Your Creative Business (The Right Way) WORKSHOP

Tuesday September 16
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
at Analog
Washington, D.C.

Have a great business idea but not sure what to do next?
Get ready to work through common questions and misconceptions and start to think like a business with Kelly and Lisa. This, in person, interactive workshop will help you develop a clear picture of what it takes to start your creative business in Washington, DC. Think of it as a two-hour business boot camp, but with a softer kick in the pants.

During this workshop you’ll learn how to develop a product line, who your target audience is, how to price your product(s), the ins and outs of DCRA, how to budget and plan effectively. All while enjoying light refreshments.

You’ll also receive a workbook with class notes and resources that you’ll find handy long after the class concludes. As well as your very own copy of Handmade to Sell to help you further your business goals after the workshop.

Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair

Find Kelly on Sunday September 27, at the annual Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair at Union Market. She’ll be offering hand carved animal stamps from her Cute Animal BFF series, stamp making kits and stationery kits. She will also be doling out crafty business advice. Sign up for a local business class or take home a workbook aimed at making your crafty business a success. So stop by, purchase a stamp or book and ask your burning business question. The Crafty Business Doctor is In.

Starting Your Creative Business (The Right Way) ONLINE Workshop

Monday September 29 through Friday October 3, 2014

Can’t make it to Kelly’s in-person workshop on how to start your creative business? Join her online! This is a special introductory price, so sign up today!

Get ready to work through common questions and misconceptions and start to think like a business with Kelly and Lisa. This, online, interactive course will help you develop a clear picture of what it takes to start your creative business. Think of it as a weeklong business boot camp, but with a softer kick in the pants.

During this course you’ll learn how to develop a product line, who your target audience is, how to price your product(s), and how to budget and plan effectively.

You’ll also receive a downloadable workbook with class notes and resources that you’ll find handy long after the class concludes.

Once you sign up, you’ll receive information on how to access the class. All you need is a WordPress login.

Marketing Your Creative Business

Tuesday October 7, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Old school
Wednesday Ocotber 8, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. New school
At WeWork: Wonder Bread Factory

You’ve done your research, designed an amazing product line or list of services, and set out your shingle to alert people you’re open for business. But no one’s coming in, yet. In this two part marketing workshop, we’ll teach you how to market your creative business in a smart and effective way to find your customers and make them into fans.

In Part One: “Old school” you’ll learn marketing 101 which will lay a solid foundation for your future outreach. From finding your audience, to press releases and print advertising, you’ll walk away with an understanding of what magazine and newspaper writers need and want to be able to write about you.

In Part Two: “New school” we’ll build upon the lessons learned in “Old school” and teach you how to apply those lessons to the online world. We’ll talk about paid and earned media online and how to run effective online outreach tailored to your business.

As a part of this workshop series, you’ll receive digital handouts such as a sample press list, a sample press release and more. All aimed at helping you to hit the ground running.

Hosted by Lisa Rowan of Beltway Vintage and Kelly Rand, author of Handmade to Sell

Buy your tickets now for Marketing Your Creative Business

Artist of the Month: Emily Landsman, EHL Creations

The following post is by Emily Landsman, Owner of EHL Creations, the Herban Lifestyle June 2014 Artist of the Month.

I have been a photographer for more than twenty years and enjoy finding new ways to look at ordinary objects. I love taking kooky pictures with my many different Polaroid cameras and using the images to make greeting cards, belt buckles, tiles, magnets and more. Polaroid transfer prints are made by under developing Polaroid pull-apart films and transferring the images to non-photographic surfaces. The resulting images have an antique or ethereal quality. Polaroid image lifts are made by developing Polaroid pull-apart films as normal, soaking the image to remove it from the paper backing, and transferring the emulsion to non-photographic surfaces. Each print is different and has its own characteristics.

You may have heard that Polaroid is no longer producing instant film. I collected dozens of packs of several different types of film for my artistic usage before they became unavailable. Once all existing film is used, this transfer process will no longer be possible, making these images all the more unique.

You can find more about Emily’s pieces on her Etsy Store and Website 

Artist Artist of the Month: Lisa Seyfried, Color Me Reckless

 

The following post is by Lisa Seyfried, Owner of Color Me Reckless, the Herban Lifestyle May 2013 Artist of the Month.

Color Me Reckless started 3 years ago.  I had just finished grad school, was unemployed, and scared.  My stress reliever has always been to crochet, so that summer, I wound up with baskets full of crochet hats, scarves, and blankets.  It seemed like a good time to start selling it all!

It took me a while to find what I really liked to make for people. When I boiled it down to what I liked to make, and what people liked, it was housewares and blankets.  So the new version of Color Me Reckless was born! Now I sell carefully crafted crochet housewares, and create beautiful custom blankets for baby showers, weddings, and birthdays.

 

What I love the most is seeing the reaction when people unwrap a blanket that has been made just for them. I try to factor in anything I know about the person (their favorite colors, snippets of their history) so the blanket becomes a story about them.

 

I think that’s the same for the housewares. Yes, it’s simpler, colorful small items, but those items tell a story too.  A Soap Saver Bag can tell the story of what mood I was in when I made it (you can tell by what colors I selected!), and then it continues to tell that story when those colors resonate with someone else.

 

You can find more about Lisa’s crochet creations on her website and Etsy store.

Help Us Start Some Good!

Our new crowdfunding campaign went live today on StartSomeGood! We are raising funds to support our new social enterprise, Herban Crafts. The first two versions of our DIY crafting kits shipped today, and are available in our Etsy store. Sales from the kits will help support the social mission of Herban Crafts. Our social mission is to help address the problem of unemployment, a contributing factor to homelessness, by offering a hands-on job and social skills training program for homeless women living in transitional housing with the goal of fostering economic independence.

Our StartSomeGood campaign has a goal of raising enough money to cover salaries for our part-time job skills facilitators for one month and production of 400 kits, the profits from which will cover their salaries for an additional four months.

Our awesome team of job skills facilitators!

I hope you will check it out, share the link with your friends and contribute if you can. We only receive funds if we meet our goal. We are offering some great rewards for donations starting at just $5.00 (I have listed them below, so you can see how awesome they are 🙂 You can also sign up on the site to volunteer or support our efforts in other non-monetary ways.

StartSomeGood is a peerfunding platform for social entrepreneurs to launch and grow innovative ventures we need to improve our communities and our world. They were the winners of this year’s William James Foundation’s Sustainable Business Plan Competition. Here is a video featuring StartSomeGood co-founder, Tom Dawkins, talking about this crowdfunding site’s mission and offering some very helpful tips for those of you who plan to start your own crowdfunding campaign.

I hope you will check out our story on StartSomeGood. Here are our donation levels and corresponding rewards:

$5

Your name will be listed on the Herban Crafts website. You’ll get kudos on our Facebook page and Twitter feed, along with our undying gratitude! + You’ll receive a free download of the full version of “Going For It” by Wytold from his album “When Fulvio Finds Celeste,” featured in our video.

Donate Now!

$10

Everything included in the $5 reward + a handmade upcycled Herban Crafts bottle cap magnet.

Donate Now!

$25

Everything included in the $10 reward + a two Herban Crafts lip balms

Donate Now!

$50

Bud – Everything included in the $10 reward + your choice of one (1) Herban Crafts kit!

Donate Now!

$100

Everything included in the $10 reward + your choice of two (2) Herban Crafts kits!

Donate Now!

$180

Everything included in the $10 reward + your choice of four (4) Herban Crafts kits!

Donate Now!

$250

Everything included in the $10 reward + your choice of six (6) Herban Crafts kits!

Donate Now!

$500

Everything included in the $10 reward + your choice of twelve (12) Herban Crafts kits! Perfect for a party activity, or bridal party gifts!

Donate Now!

$1,000

Everything included in the $10 reward + your choice of twelve (12) Herban Crafts kits! AND you will receive a feature article in our blog singing your praises. PLUS, you’ll be invited to an exclusive Herban Crafts launch celebration dinner party in DC or NYC, date and place to be determined.

Donate Now!

Join Us on 12/1 for the West Elm + Etsy Handmade Holiday Workshop & Mini-Market!

On Thursday, December 1st, West Elm stores across the country will be featuring gifts from local Etsy sellers, and Herban Lifestyle will be representing at Tyons Corner, in McLean, VA! At the Handmade Holiday Workshop & Mini-Mart, guests will have a chance make a holiday craft with an Etsy team and support a local charity. The Capital Region Etsy Street Team (CREST) will be at the Tysons event, and handmade ornaments and gifts donated at the event will benefit Jill’s House, a Vienna, VA non-profit that provides respite for children with intellectual disabilities and their families in the Greater Washington, DC area.

If you live somewhere other than the DC area, you can visit one of the other 37 West Elm locations to participate in the festivities, and contribute gifts and decorations to local charities chosen by each store. For more details, visit the West Elm website or RSVP on the Handmade Holiday Workshop & Mini-Mart Facebook Event Page.

So, I hope to see you on December 1st, from 6pm to 9pm!

West Elm
7866 L. Tysons Corner Center
McLean VA 22102

Ballston Arts & Crafts Market May 14th!

We are happy to announce that we will once again be participating in the 2011 Ballston Arts & Crafts Market on May 14 from 10:00am to 4:00pm! It is held every Second Saturday from April through October, and is Arlington’s premier 100% handmade indie art market.

We will be vending along with many other amazing DC-area crafters (many of whom are Etsians), including: Bette’s Bags, BoxBoy Demented Decoupage, Brighter Day Beads,Fuzzy Ink, Grumpy Haters, Jen-A-Fusion Fashion Accessories, lolojane, Mary Ellen Larkins, Melissa Lew, The BumbleBee Studio, Warped & Morewarped and Yinibini Baby.

The kind folks at ArlingtonVirginia.com, Arlington’s Social Media Community, will be handing out FREE eco-friendly tote bags for the first 50 visitors. An from 12:00 – 2:00 pm, there will be live music by J-Guden and FREE yoga classes for the whole family will be offered in the square. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training.

The market is super-conveniently located in Welburn Square (between North Stuart and North 9th Streets) across the street from the Ballston Metro.

Sprint Unveils New Green ID App Pack

On Friday, Sprint announced its newest smartphone feature, Green ID Pack, which is available on select Android devices for their customers. The platform provides customers with apps and mobile content that gives them easy access to information on sustainable living, including content from Team Eco Etsy and Green America.

Using the Green ID pack, customers can customize their smartphones with eco-focused apps and widgets in a single download. The Green ID pack offers mobile content from Green America (who certified Herban Lifestyle as a sustainable business), EcoEtsy (of which Herban Lifestyle is a member), TreeHugger.com, the National Audubon Society and the Environmental Defense Fund.

The Green ID pack is free to download with Sprint’s Everything Data plan. For more details, including a full description of the Green ID pack’s contents, see Sprint’s press release.

In celebration of the release of the Green ID pack, and my membership in two of the organizations featured in it (EcoEtsy and Green America), I am offering a Sprint Special Sale –a 20% discount in my Etsy shop or Herban Lifestyle online store! Just email a screen shot of your phone with either the EcoEtsy or Green America logo on it to: sales [at] herbanlifestyle [dot] com I will email you the discount code enter code SPRINTGREENID at checkout [Please note these revised instructions]. This offer is good for online purchases of merchandise (shipping and tax are not included in the discount) through May 31, 2011.

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It’s Time for Eco Etsy’s Handmade for Earth Day Auction 2011

Today bidding opens for Team Eco Etsy’s  annual Handmade for Earth Day Auction, which raises money for non-profit organizations. The items for the auction were all donated by an incredibly talented team of eco artisans. This year, all proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity Japan to help the disaster relief efforts in Japan.
Team Eco Etsy’s Handmade for Earth Day Auction
WHAT: Handmade for Earth Day Auction sponsored by Team Eco Etsy will feature treasuries filled with eco-goodies that Team Eco Etsy members donated for different categories listed below. A bidder will be able to bid on as many categories as they want.

WHY: To celebrate and raise awareness about Earth Day, Team Eco Etsy proudly sponsors “Handmade for Earth Day Auction” and the proceeds from the auction is donated to a non-profit organization. This year, the proceeds will be donated to Habitat for Humanity in Japan to support the relief effort, to help rebuild and to aid Japanese earthquake survivors.

WHEN: The auctions will begin today, Monday, April 4, 2011 and will end on Sunday, April 24th, 2010. The winners will be announced on Monday, April 25th, 2010.

WHO: Auction is open worldwide.

WHERE: All auctions will be posted on this site, where bidders can post their bids in the comment section for different assortments of eco-goodies.

For full details, and a list of contributing crafters, please visit the Team Eco Etsy website.

I have contributed 1 Lime in the Coconut Soap, 1 Beer Here Soap and 1 Solid Lotion (pictured above). Bidding for the Kids & Beauty auctions start on April 18th. Hope you’ll join in the fun. And please spread the word about this great event for a great cause.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Julia!