Tuesday, June 30, 2009
LuluBugJewelry as Featured Seller on Etsy!
EtsyVeg member Sue of LuluBugJewelry was the 'Featured Seller' on Etsy's front page last week! Along with her shop and fabulous and unique jewelry being touted, Sue was in the coveted spotlight with a fabulous interview. Congratulations, Sue! We're all so proud of you, and honored to have you as our teamie!
Interview with LuluBugJewelry
An Interview by Yvonne of
from her site supporting independent artisans and handmade arts and crafts, HandmadeDesigners.com
I met Sue on the EtsyVeg group and fell in love with her jewelry. Her designs are so fresh and I’m still amazed that she can make concrete look so beautiful!! Sue left her job last week to work for herself full time. I wish you all the very best, you deserve it. Here’s Sue in her own words.
Who are you?
My name is Sue Urquhart and I live in Santa Rosa, California which is about an hour north of San Francisco. I live in a small house with my boyfriend Kelly, his sister, and 3 dogs, 3 cats and 4 parakeets so there is always some sort of pandemodium going on. Since my last name is very unfamiliar (here in the US anyway) and hard to spell I decided to name my business after one of my dogs. Lulu Bug is a very sweet Shar Pei, and a good boss too!
What do you do?
I make fine silver jewelry using Precious Metal Clay (PMC).
How long have you been doing this?
I started working with PMC about a year and a half ago, but I’ve been making jewelry since 1991, both my own work and as full time employment for several small companies. So my background is in traditional metalsmithing and casting techniques, but I just adore working with PMC. I will probably dabble in traditional methods again at some point, but for now I’m very content working with PMC.
How did you originally get into making what you make?
I went to art school and got a BFA in graphic design, but I’d always wanted to try metalsmithing. I took a jewerly making course after I graduated and knew immediately that I’d found my medium. Within a year I’d found full time employment at a small local jewelry manufacturer, and I’ve worked in the industry since then, both making and designing in silver and gold.
What do you like best about what you do?
I like the freedom I have to make whatever idea pops into my head, as opposed to my last job, where I had to design products that our customers would buy, which was generally not ever anything that I would buy! I was a product designer, not an artist. There’s a big difference.
Now I have the freedom to try all sorts of ideas and see if anyone likes them. One thing I did learn in all my years of working for other people is that there is no predicting what will become a best seller, so you might as well try whatever crazy idea comes to mind! I really enjoy that freedom, which is probably something that most artists take for granted if they haven’t worked as a product designer.
What do you dislike about what you do?
Bookkeeping! Which is why I have someone else do it for me.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by nature and the world around me - there is an endless source of ideas there!
Where do you sell your work?
Right now I sell on Etsy: www.lulubugjewelry.etsy.com I’m looking into expanding and I think Dawanda will be the next place I try, and I’m going to dabble in a bit of wholesale and see how that goes. I’d like to have my own web site too, but for now lulubugjewelry.com just redirects to my Etsy shop.
How do you promote your work?
I don’t do much right promotion right now, it’s something I need to work on.
I have a blog: www.lulubugjewelry.blogspot.com which I’m trying to pay more attention to, and will most likely do something on Facebook soon too.
What marketing strategies work and don’t work for you?
I haven’t really done anything yet that I would call a strategy, so I can’t say at this point. I’m just making it up as I go along!
Where would you like to be in five years time?
I just quit my day job last week (YAY!) so I hope to be doing just what I’m doing right now, making and selling my jewelry as my full time work.
Any thing else you’d like to mention?
Thanks for this opportunity to share a little about myself!
Killing
"Until we have the courage to recognize cruelty for what it is--whether its victim is human or animal--we cannot expect things to be much better in this world... We cannot have peace among men whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. By every act that glorifies or even tolerates such moronic delight in killing we set back the progress of humanity."
~Rachel Carson
~Rachel Carson
Monday, June 29, 2009
Panda Picks: Crafty Creations from Etsyveg Members
I wanted to feature some of the jewelers who are EtsyVeg members with this weeks picks. The color was inspired by the bright summer grass at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Please enjoy!
My own paper and fabric crafts can be found at Panda With Cookie.
My own paper and fabric crafts can be found at Panda With Cookie.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Dog Day Afternoon
An EtsyVeg treasury of canine proportion...
To see more fabulous handmade and vintage creations and supplies from our vegan and vegetarian artisans, check out our teams's Crafty Veggie Marketplace!
by julep115
by pandabunny
by Hissnhowl
by kat4526
by aguavino
by PragyaK
by UltraTrixie
by thisisit
by mvegan5
To see more fabulous handmade and vintage creations and supplies from our vegan and vegetarian artisans, check out our teams's Crafty Veggie Marketplace!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
BIRDIES!
A treasury of sweet, winged chirpers from our talented vegan and vegetarian members!
To see more fabulous handmade and vintage creations and supplies from our vegan and vegetarian artisans, check out our teams's Crafty Veggie Marketplace!
by mvegan5
by artbykat
by artractions
by steel
by TokenEmotion
by zukzuk
by PisforPaper
by ItsNewAgain
by bluecicada
by PragyaK
by dandee
by jboston
To see more fabulous handmade and vintage creations and supplies from our vegan and vegetarian artisans, check out our teams's Crafty Veggie Marketplace!
The Hungry Vegetarian
Fried Rice
When you make it yourself, you can make it healthier than the restaurants do.
Ingredients:
Leftover rice or 1 cup fresh rice
½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 egg
½ onion (optional)
2 sundried tomatoes, diced (optional)
Basil
1-2 tbsp olive or peanut oil, sesame oil
Soy sauce
Directions:
Saute onions, set aside. Lightly beat eggs, with tomatoes and basil. Scramble while using spatula to chop into bits. Set aside.
Fry rice in olive oil on medium-high heat, and add a dash or two of sesame oil. Add frozen veggies and stir everything to coat while breaking up the frozen vegetables. Add egg and onion, and make sure everything is cooked all the way through.
Add enough soy sauce to turn the rice brown and mix. Serve.
Recipe by FriendlyTaco of Chiyogami Creations.
When you make it yourself, you can make it healthier than the restaurants do.
Ingredients:
Leftover rice or 1 cup fresh rice
½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 egg
½ onion (optional)
2 sundried tomatoes, diced (optional)
Basil
1-2 tbsp olive or peanut oil, sesame oil
Soy sauce
Directions:
Saute onions, set aside. Lightly beat eggs, with tomatoes and basil. Scramble while using spatula to chop into bits. Set aside.
Fry rice in olive oil on medium-high heat, and add a dash or two of sesame oil. Add frozen veggies and stir everything to coat while breaking up the frozen vegetables. Add egg and onion, and make sure everything is cooked all the way through.
Add enough soy sauce to turn the rice brown and mix. Serve.
Recipe by FriendlyTaco of Chiyogami Creations.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Weekly Wednesday Giveaway 6-24-09
EtsyVeg's Weekly Wednesday giveaway!
Now every week brings a new chance to win a fabulous creation(s) from one of our team's talented vegan or vegetarian EtsyVeg artisans. :)
This week, one winner will receive these ooak "Rock and River" earrings from Rebecca of KneeDeepOriginals! The earrings dangle from sterling silver, No-Slip french earwires, and hang just shy of 1 1/2 inches from the bottom loop. They are beaded with beautiful creamy-gray African Opal discs, clear Czech glass crystals, and a peach cat's eye round. At the very bottom of the dangle hides a gorgeous shimmery crystal.
How to enter? Comment here, naming BOTH your favorite object in nature and why (since Rebecca's earrings and most of her art pieces are made from natural elements) AND the link to your favorite item in Rebecca's shop and why you like it (comments must include all mentioned info and the item link for entry to be valid). And don't forget to leave an email address or Etsy shop name so we can contact you if you win. It's that easy! Better yet, win an extra entry by Tweeting to @etsyveg about our giveaway and then posting about it here, or by posting about it on FB and sending a 'print screen' shot of your post to etsyveg@gmail.com. That means up to 3 chances to win!
Enter by 12 midnight EST, Monday, June 29th. Winner will be randomly selected, and notified by Wednesday, July 1st. Good luck!
Look for our next giveaway this time next week! :)
**If winner does not respond within 30 days of initial contact, the prize will be awarded to another giveaway entrant.
Veggie Love in Treasury Form!
Our creative and devoted team members have been steadily pumping out fabulous treasuries on Etsy to show off all of our group's veggie talent! A huge, squishy, slobbery dog-lick of a thank you to Cari of loveluca, Rebecca of KneeDeepOriginals, Maggie of magglepie, and Heather of aktie9! :)
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