In Good Company: Sarah Seven

I don't wear dresses, but the gorgeous frocks created by Sarah Seven are enough to make me wish I did.  Her draping skills are fantastic and her choice of fabrics divine.  I can't get enough!  Stop by her etsy shop or official site for some fashion inspiration. xox Ez

In Good Company: Papier Valise

I've fallen head over heels in love with Papier Valise... a gorgeous shop that I recently found via flickr.

Shop owner Janice takes beautiful photos of the goods that she carries (treasures such as vintage labels, silk flowers, and jewel-topped pins) and shares little projects and sneek peaks on her blog.

In Good Company: Sparkle Power

Today I'm thrilled to share a tiny interview with you all that I recently had with the lovely Candace of Sparkle Power.

Candace is a busy mom to two little ones (with one on the way) and she somehow still manages to find the time to create beautiful handcrafted wares for her etsy shop Sparkle Power.  I love everything she makes... in fact I've been pining away for just about every single thing in her shop for ages.  Looks like it's time to go x-mas shopping for myself!

If you're a fan like me, then you're in luck... because from now through Nov. 25th you can have 15% off of any purchase.  Just mention CREATURE COMFORTS in the "message to seller" section at checkout and then wait for a revised invoice!

{Q + A with Candace}

Q: How long have you been crafting for, and what made you decide to open your lovely etsy shop almost a year ago?

I've been crafting for as long as I can remember.  My mom is a really crafty & creative person.  She always seemed to have some project in the works, whether it was a cross-stitch piece, a quilt to tie or a prom dress to sew.  I watched my mom take on anything & she seemed to do it with such ease.  The crafty gene was definitely passed on to her children.  Growing up with her example, I never seemed to be afraid to try anything.  I can remember as a teenager gluing pressed flowers to my wooden cassette tape holder & rolling up magazine pages to glue in rows around a picture frame.  I subscribed to Martha Stewart Living magazine when I was a junior in high school.  I just had a need to make things & that need has never gone away.  I opened up my etsy shop as a way to help bring some income to our family  while my husband was finishing up college.  It took some time to get rolling but has really been a great blessing in our lives.

Q: It can be tricky balancing work and family life (you have 2 little girls, and a baby on the way), how do you do it?  Do you have any special tricks up your sleeve that you can share with us?

I've learned to do all of my crafting at night once my kids have gone to bed.  During the day I can find 10 minutes here and there to pull fabrics, jot down some notes, or cut fabrics.  All my sewing is reserved for when they are asleep.  Although I would love to work while they are around, it just never works out.  My kids are so interested in the sewing machine & the scissors & it's too hard for me to focus on just one thing.  So I tend to save my work for times when I am alone.  My 4 year old daughter, Sadie, especially loves to be involved in crafts & I love nurturing that interest in her.  So we like to do kid appropriate crafts every now & then.  I look forward to when they get older & can work more independently & side by side with me.

Q: What does a typical day in your life look like?

My morning is full of household chores.  This is usually the time when I will pack up any orders from my shop, pay bills, clean the house, etc.  After lunch Sadie goes to preschool & my 1-1/2 year old daughter, Claire, goes down for a nap.  Lately, because of my new pregnancy, I have been taking a nap with her.  Under normal conditions, this is a nice, quiet alone time for me which I usually use for focusing on my shop work.  Washing, ironing & cutting fabrics and getting everything arranged and ready for the sewing machine once night hits.  I usually have some one on one play time with Claire before we go pick up her sister from school.  Once we're all back together again, we have an afternoon snack & catch up with what Sadie did at school.  We then go out & run errands which is something different every day....post office, fabric store, grocery store, thrift store.  On days when we have no errands to run, we either play at home or go to the park.  Then it's time to think about dinner.  My husband gets home from work & we eat & have some family time before the kids get ready for bed.  After the kids are down I will either do some sewing, clean up the house or watch a movie with my husband.

Q: I love how you utilize vintage materials in your designs.  How does your creative process work, and what is your favorite thing to make?

I love vintage materials.  Finding the materials that I use for my projects is almost as exciting as the actual making!  Often I will come across a fabric & know exactly what to make with it.  Searching for materials totally spurs my creativity & I love having a large stash of fabrics that I can go to at any time.  I wish I had a more solid creative process, but I really just seem to catch wind of something & it takes off.  Usually when I'm in the groove, ideas for the next project will come to mind before I can even finish up the one I'm currently working on.  I don't have one particular item that is my favorite to make because I have a hard time making the same things over & over.  I think I am happiest when I am trying out new things.  I do however love to make items that are practical.  Items that can easily be worked into a person's everyday life.

Q: What is your favorite quote or words of wisdom that inspire you?

I am constantly reminding myself to just be me!  It is so easy to get swayed especially when you are making items that you want others to buy.  I have to keep telling myself that sticking to my original vision will ultimately make me the happiest, despite whether or not the item sells very quickly.

Thank you so much Candace!  You and your creations are such a delight!

{SHOP} . {BLOG}

In Good Company: Radici

I received an email last week from the loveliest little company that you just have to check out.

I simply adore the aesthetic eye that Radici owners Fiona and Jenneth have.  Here's what they have to say about their shop:
"Hi there we’re Fiona and Jenneth - we abandoned the world of clinical research to satisfy a growing niggling need to be part of something creative and uplifting!

Radici.co.uk started to take seed after one too many moments lamenting the lack of luxury handcrafted gifts for that someone special...a favourite godchild...a stylish mother...an impossible hubby.

Hundreds of little roots and feelers have been sent across the globe to seek out our gorgeous selection of things to chance upon and fall in love with this season - all unusual, all made with love and clear conscience by talented young designers." {SHOP} . {BLOG}

In Good Company: Avie Designs

CC reader Avis, owner of Avie Designs, wrote and introduced me to her lovely line of paper goods today, so I took the opportunity to ask her a few questions about what inspires her.  I hope that in turn her answers will inspire you too.

Q: Were does your inspiration come from when designing such a fun collection of papery goodness?
A: Gosh, I'm not even sure I can pin it down. I think inspiration is like air, it gets inside you when you're not even paying attention. On a more tangible note, I read a lot of blogs, books and magazines. I keep up with what's going on over on etsy and I have been participating in regular contests on Minted that keep me fresh and inspired by other designers. Shopping always cures a case of designer's block as well.

Q: How did go about starting your line/shop?  And how long have you been in business?
A: Hmm, I have been in official business since January of 2007, but I quit my day job in August of 2006. Wow, I didn't realize how long it has been until just now. First, I created a product that I thought was different enough to hold a space in the market (my custom designed envelopes) and then I opened up my etsy shop. All truth be told, I did very little research and pre-planning for this little company. All I knew was that I couldn't hold it together any longer as a manager of a retail shop that wasn't my own. Since then I have been just growing and learning on a daily basis. I attended the National Stationery Show this year in an attempt to expand the wholesale portion of my business and I have been thinking about how to further expand my product line and company ever since.

Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: The thought that there is nothing else I'd rather be doing. I actually get bored when there is no work to be done! That is the only down side to doing what you love every day, what then becomes your hobby? My customers and the need to make them happy also keeps me motivated. I want to give them fresh and fun items.

Q: Defined your product line in 6 words or less:
A: fun, modern, hand-crafted, beautiful stationery

Find more of Avie Designs: {ETSY SHOP} . {OFFICIAL SITE} . {BLOG}