Scoutie Girl

have you noticed a new volume among the craft mags at your favorite book haunt? greencraft magazine is a new publication by stampington & company – the same people who publish the somerset series of mags.

i couldn’t wait to crack this little puppy open! it is full of how-to’s, interviews with green crafters, and inspiration for your next recycled or repurposed project.

one of my favorite articles was “a new life for old sweaters” by jess pillmore, featuring an adorable shrug she constructed from an old, oversized argyle sweater.

not only do i have two copies of greencraft to giveaway, i also have two copies of stuffed, stampington’s celebration of all things stuffed!

for this giveaway, there will be two winners and each will receive one copy of greencraft & one copy of stuffed – a $30 value! there are two ways to enter and [one] winner will be selected from each method:

**become a fan of scoutie girl on facebook. leave a comment on our wall with one thing you’ve done to become a more eco-friendly crafter.

**and/or sign-up for sg’s weekly newsletter full of crafty deals, indie news, and other goodies! then leave a comment on this post with one thing you’ve done to be a more eco-friendly crafter.

**if you’re already a fan or subscriber, just leave a comment on facebook and/or on this post.

**one entry per method per person.

**contest ends sunday, september 6 at midnight. winners will be notified by email and have 24 hours to claim their prize.

good luck!

images courtesy of stampington & company

i am totally enamored with the fused plastic bag trend.

not only can you make yards of versatile “fabric” out of what is otherwise pure waste, you can make amazing jewelry pieces like this necklace from okzoo.

speaking of reducing, reusing, and recycling, i’ve got a fantastic giveaway coming at you this afternoon!

fused plastic jewelry by okzoo :: $18-28

i have a real thing for ceramic jewelry. to me, it’s an unexpected material that both makes soft but strong statement. i became aware of tasha mckelvey when i wrote a “shop local” piece for try handmade about richmond, virginia.

tasha creates much more than ceramic jewelry, though, she has a whole range of pottery pieces perfect for a gift for weddings, anniversaries, housewarming, or just “because!”

i met up with tasha at the buyer’s market of american craft in philly last month to view her collection up close & personal and to chit chat!

you’re a talented crafter, a member of the richmond craft mafia, and i noticed on twitter today that you even teach kids pottery classes! what aspect of your creative life are you most passionate about at the moment?

Right now I am focusing on my craft. Last year, I taught middle school art part-time, in addition to making pottery and for the two years previous I was taking classes part-time to get my teaching license. Now I am happy to be able to just focus on my own work for awhile, but for me part of that is being an active member of the Richmond Craft Mafia. Staying active in the craft community is something I feel is important for a work-at-home crafter. Interacting with other crafters and artists helps me come up with new ideas for my work and business. Right now I’m helping organize our winter show Handmade Holiday.

tell me about one of the obstacles you had to overcome in becoming a full-time creator.

I started my pottery business right after I finished college in 2000. Those first few years were tough and there was a huge learning curve because I didn’t have a background in business. I had to work out a lot of marketing & business related issues. The readily available resources that we have today just didn’t exist then – just think about how limited the internet was then.

when i met you at bmac, you told me the amazing story of ginkgoes. can you tell me again so that I get it right?

Ginkgo leaves have been a part of my work since I was in college and were even the theme for my wedding in 2005. I first learned about ginkgo trees when I was 15 and had to do a leaf project for biology class. While I was compiling all of my leaf specimens I was quite taken with the unusual and beautiful fan-shaped ginkgo leaf. My dad, an arboriculturalist at the time, told me the ginkgo’s story. The gingko is considered a living fossil. Gingkoes were widespread in the time of the dinosaurs, but today only one species of ginkgo still exists. It is believed that ginkgo trees would be completely extinct if not for the efforts of a group of Chinese monks that cared for the trees over a 1,000 year period. Now ginkgoes are an ornamental tree found in gardens and lining city streets all over the world. My husband and I recently bought our first house and I planted one of the ginkgo saplings from our wedding in the front yard (my Dad had kept it in his greenhouse for us for the past four years).

what is something you struggle with in your creative process on a daily basis?

Time management is a constant struggle. There are so many aspects to running a business that have nothing to do with actually making work in the studio. I am always looking for ways to streamline things like packing orders, doing marketing and paperwork so I can spend more time in the studio. Spending too much time away from clay makes it harder for me to find my rhythm in the studio.

if you weren’t pursuing your passion for pottery, what other passion would you like to give a whirl?

My first choice would be a pottery teacher, but that is still pottery isn’t it? So I would say that I would like to work with kids who want to go into the arts, but may not have the resources available to make that happen – kind of like a guidance counselor for art kids.

ceramic bowls, jewelry, and other “clay goodness” at tasha’s etsy shop :: $16-60

images courtesy of tasha’s flickr stream

this is the first in – what will hopefully be – a series of more personal writing from me, illustrated with beautiful handmade items. the goal: i get to write from my heart and you see how the handmade goods we love can really form the shape of our lives.

throughout my life, i have struggled with ups and downs. periods of great joy, productivity, and creativity. and periods where the daily grind is almost unbearable.

while most of this battle is contained deep within, it also manifests itself in an outer way.

my personal style always suffers when my soul is suffering. baggy t-shirts, sloppy jeans, and – well – not really anything else. this last year i have been in one of these style & emotional ruts. after the birth of my daughter, i struggled with the joy of new motherhood and the loss of my body and independence.

i’ve spent days in my husband’s t-shirts. continued wearing maternity clothes way past the time when it’s “okay.” and delayed making a change out of self-pity.

but a little self-confidence changes a ruddy old t-shirt into a fresh, feminine look. being recognized for what you’re good at inspires a little style creativity – even if it’s recycled from what you already have.

i am so glad to be both learning the joy of my new life and finding joy as a woman – who just happens to be a mom. a t-shirt with pretty trim – that’s designed for a woman with curves – a pair of earrings, a cute headband…i’m feeling and looking better.

image credits:

t-shirt necklace with brass beads by minuit 12

t-shirt fringe necklace by talking squid

gray & lime t-shirt necklace by greeneyedgirlshop