Meet Shaina Dampier from Aliana's Jumble Shop...
My name is Shaina Dampier. I am 24 years old and I run my business with my mom Kathy Calfee. I am based in Erie, PA and she is in Southaven, MS but we both moved from Akron, OH. I am a senior at Edinboro University in PA for Earth Science. Aliana's Jumble Shop is a name my mom came up with. Aliana is my middle name!
I have been running Aliana's Jumble Shop for about 2 years now. My mom and I both have done crafts our whole lives. We love to make gifts for people and unique things to enjoy. Creativity is in my bones! My entire family is made up of very creative people from music to art to dance and back to art!
I got heavily into crafting when I made both my mom and my mother-in-law scrapbooks for my wedding as gifts to them. I took up scrapbooking heavily and when I wanted a change, I started making jewelry. Now I continue with both. However, I went to a performing arts school when I was younger and that really sparked my interest in arts.
I don't have much of a creative process. Some days I wake up feeling really "crafty" and I will sit and work on different projects all day. Other times I don't feel it at all. But I will usually sit down and lay all my materials out in front of me and just see them come together!
I love being able to create something beautiful. I love things with interesting stories behind them or that can be neat conversation starters. like to think my projects and crafts can bring some happiness to people :)
Meet Nancy Zunic from Blue Room Ink...
Hi! My name is Nancy Zunic. I have a
wonderful husband and four wonderful adult children. My three daughters
live in the Cleveland area and my son and daughter-in-law recently moved to
Columbus and blessed me with my first grandchild, Calvin Bales this past July!
My oldest daughter is planning a summer wedding that will take place in Arkon,
Ohio. I also have two adorable cats (Jasper and Mooch) that love to get
into all of my stash in my crafting room!
Besides crafting, I love to run and bike. I have run many a race in the Cleveland area with my second oldest daughter. I ran in the 10K race with her that was held during the Cleveland marathon in 2010. It was a huge accomplishment for me! The reason being, five years ago I was diagnosed with a rare heart condition that required a pacemaker be placed and this was my way of overcoming the mental part of receiving it at such a relatively young age. It was such a liberating feeling having run the entire 10K!
I have been working with my hands all my life. I have been a dental
hygienist for the past 32 years and recently lost my job due to my boss
retiring. Fortunately, my boss was my brother and he had a wonderful
practice in which I was blessed to work in for all those years. The
retirement was a bit of a shock and I was suddenly in a position to make some
major changes in my life. I have crafted throughout my life whether it was
cross-stitch, making hats and scarves from fleece to knitting but most recently
I have become an avid scrapbooker. From the years 2003 through 2009 my
children were all involved in music and sports throughout high school as well
as college so I had made many of a scrapbook for them all. I have a blog that I started in April
2010. (http://www.blueroomink.blogspot.com/) Since
then, I have gone beyond just
making scrapbooks. I enjoy creating art with different scrapbook/art
methods that I have learned over the years. Through some gentle nudging by
my daughters I have recently opened an Etsy shop. (http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueRoomInk) I
was excited to do my first show this past July for the Avant-Garde West Side
NEO 2012 art and craft show. I am just as excited to do the Summit/Akron
show at The Tangier on Dec. 2.
I get my creativity from my feelings about life. I express different
thoughts and feeling within most of my work. I lay in bed at night and an
idea will come to me and then I find that I cannot get to sleep because I want
to work on it. I love color and working with blending the right colors
together to create a sensation or mood. Many times I start in one path but
end up taking the fork in the road to another place and I become pleasantly
surprised at the outcome. There really is no concrete process to my
creative madness. I go with my gut and my eye for the not so
obvious. I feel that some of my pieces speak to certain individuals.
It is fun to find the person that is attracted to it. It's always just a
matter of time.
My favorite item that I have produced would be my
Butterfly canvas easel art. It happened to be the first item that I sold
in my Etsy store. The piece spoke to the person who bought it. The
butterflies are the symbol of her Grandfather and she is having a feather
themed wedding so she said it brought tears to her eyes. That is why I
like to create. To be able to evoke that kind of emotion in someone else makes
it all worthwhile. Then there are times that some of the art is
just "fun" in someone’s eyes. Who wouldn't want to sell some
"fun!?" I know I sure do!
I love working in my vibrant turquoise craft room. That is where my name
BlueRoomInk originated from. I hope to achieve a successful Etsy store and
venture out to do many more craft shows. I would love for this to be my
new full time job. I think with a lot of dedication and patience that could
become a reality. I love being able to get out there and show my crafts in
person instead of just online. I am looking forward to meeting and seeing other
artisans at the show. I love original artwork that grabs you and draws
you in at first sight.
I have attached several pictures of my work and several pieces are currently for sale in my Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueRoomInk. Come by and shop at any time as I will be adding new items frequently.
Meet Gretchen Meyers from Peg's Hardware...
I'm
an Indy jewelry designer from Buffalo, NY. Actually a graphic designer by
trade, but have always had a deep love and fascination with jewelry. I have been making jewelry on and off
since I was about 14. My grandmother actually was my first investor, giving me
$100 because she believed in my passion. I actually use the same tools today
that were purchased with part of that $100. The company name, Peg's Hardware is
named for her, Margaret "Peg" Criqui. I get my creativity from all over. The standard answer would probably be Google images, but also hardware stores, antique shops, I love mixing media and making something stunning out of the usual.
How I got started with my business.. With every end there is always a beginning….I had lost my job at an advertising agency and thought, why not try this out.
I would describe my creative process as unruly! I wish it was like a switch I could turn on and off at my convenience. Sometimes I'll sit at my desk for hours and get only a single pair of earring done. While other times it's like Niagara Falls, and my hands won't work fast enough!
My favorite thing about doing this is that similar to graphic design, it's a little piece of you or your work that goes floating out into the world. The message behind my work is make something stunning or different out of the usual.
Meet Haley Herman from The Crying Wolf Designs...
My name is Haley Herman. I am a recent graduate of the University
of Akron's Interior Design program and I currently work as a freelance
architectural illustrator. Although I grew up near Akron, I am currently living
in Findlay, Ohio with my awesome husband and two adorable
and ornery kitties. I have always been a crafter,
an obsession that grew from Play-Dough, through friendship
bracelets, and straight into my calling... crochet.
I have been crocheting for about five years, but this is only my
second year participating in craft shows. This will be my first time at an
Avant-Garde event, and I am very excited to share my designs with everyone
attending!
I'm not sure where my creativity comes from, usually it is just a
spark of an idea. I get a lot of suggestions from friends and family. And of
course, living in the age of Pinterest, I see a lot of things online that give
me ideas on how to modify and make things my own.
I have always been a do-it-yourself-er. I would rather find out
how to make something, rather than go out and buy it. Living in Ohio, with the
winters we have, led to a need for warmer accessories, and a discovery of
crochet. I love to crochet. It relaxes me. I crochet in my spare time, which
led to sharing my designs on my Facebook page, which grew into selling them
through the page, as well as at craft shows, and creating custom orders.
The idea of owning my own business started with my amazing friends
and family, who loved my designs, and wanted to purchase their own. Also,
crocheting away in the off seasons (spring and summer), left me with so many
hats and scarves that I couldn't possibly wear them all myself without going
out in public everyday looking like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story".
That's when I started selling at craft shows It’s exciting to see people
loving your designs and wanting their own.
When I am working, I have a list of items and ideas of things I
want to create. Usually, while in the middle of making something, I will have
an idea for something else to make, which goes on the list. Sometimes I'm just
inspired by the yarn I see and its feel, and a project is born from that.
The thing I enjoy most about creating handmade items is the fact
that they are unique. They aren't items that are seen everywhere, when I make a
hat or scarf, it may be one of a kind. Even with some of my best selling
items, no two are exactly alike.
Check out these featured vendors at the 2012 Summit County Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. This show will feature a large selection of talented handmade artisans and crafters. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to Jade's No Kill Rescue for animal rescue.
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