December 1, 2007

Daisy Chains December Event Calendar


December Event Calendar


The 1st Annual RockCreek Christmas Bazaar

5275 NW Nichwara Court

Portland, Oregon 97229

* December 7th From 1-4pm
&
* December 8th From 10-1pm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Rebel Rabbit




Hipbone Studio

1847 E. Burnside (18th & E. Burnside)

Portland, Oregon

* December 9th 12-5pm
&
* December 16th 12-5pm



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Etsy Last Minute Solstice/Holiday Sale

PSU Smith Center

Next to the Portland Farmer's Market in the South Park blocks, Upstairs!!

* December 22nd 8-4pm

November 30, 2007

Dear November

Dear November, I love you!!





Photo By Phoot, Available on Etsy


102 Etsy Sales
3 Wholesale Orders
1 New Consignment Shop
1 Consignment Shop Refill
+3 Craft Shows



Satisfying my customers while having fun, priceless...




Thank you!!

November 29, 2007

Boomba Toomba Now Carrying Little Daisy Chains!!

Boomba Toomba







Yay!! 15 Little Daisy Chains hair accessories can now be found in Washington, in a real life actual downtown boutique, score! Boomba Toomba is a family owned boutique that has just opened it's doors to the public this month!!
Boomba Toomba provides families with affordable, sustainable, and fashionable shopping options. They carry used clothing, to cut down on landfill waste, and have a nice selection of Cloth Diapers, Diapering Supplies, Slings and Carriers, Hand Made Clothing, and Unique Art all made my local Mom's. What a great place to be a part of!!
Boomba Toomba can be found at 1705 Broadway Street in Vancouver, Washington!! Don't forget to say hi to Shayla, she's the super sweet owner that will greet you with a great big friendly smile! Go check it all out today, you won't be sorry!!


Shop Local, Buy Handmade!!









November 25, 2007

Little Daisy Chains Now At BuggyBoo Baby!!





Little Daisy Chains is Now At BuggyBoo Baby!! Canada's super cool baby boutique! Find great finds for baby, toddlers and kiddos alike at http://www.buggyboobaby.com/!








November 13, 2007

Etsy Made - Laura Of L*egant Style

Congratulations Laura for winning featured seller during my Etsy contest!!!




Laura of L*egant Style
I had been trying and trying to figure out a way to advertise that would be affordable. I was hitting wall after wall and every lead I would get excited about would end up coming to a screeching halt because of the price tag that accompanied it. I was about to give up but as if fate herself had stepped in Sister Diane of DIY Alert contacted me!! She mentioned she'd be having a Holiday Gift Guide featuring a few sellers each Friday throughout the Holiday's and best yet, it would only cost $20.00 per ad and I could have two!! I jumped on it as quickly as my little fingers could type. After double and triple checking that I had replied fast enough to secure my dates the panic hit. What the heck was I going to do?? I'd never done an ad before! I didn't know what to say, I didn't even know what to feature from my shop. I could only pick one item. So it hit me! Why not have an Etsy contest??! I would ask the Etsy community what item from my shop I should feature and for every answer I would receive I would put their name in a jar for one of three prizes. That way every one has fun!! 1st place would get a feature on my blog, 2nd place an item from my shop totally free and 3rd place any one hair accessory at no charge! It was on, I had many entries and after all was said and done I knew what I'd feature AND I had 3 lucky winners!!
That is how I met Snowy Angel or Laura of L*egant Style!!!



1. When did you learn to sew? Was it something you taught yourself or do you come from a family of sewing enthusiasts?

Well ever since elementary I was inspired by fashion shows and catalogues I'd see, I even drew up my own catalogues too. But creativity definitely runs in the family. Both my grandpas were artists (one a carpenter, the other painter/model builder) and my grandma could knit up anything, then my mother can draw, crochet AND do jewellery so it's definitely in my blood. At the age of 15 I made my own lap quilt at church. Then one day I got married and my husband decided to take sewing machine shopping! Since then I've been teaching myself to sew more detailed items ever since.

2. What was the craziest experience you've had with your sewing machine? I find I'm in a total love hate relationship with mine so I have to ask!

Whew, where to begin right? Um probably the time when I got my first machine and I was in the middle of stitching up a thick item. Then out of nowhere the pressure foot just falls off the machine completely and I almost stitch over my own finger! Fortunately we brought the machine back and all is well with my new machine.

3. What do you find influences your designs?

Nature a lot of the time and the vintage eras. I love being outside and seeing the beauty of the world around me so most of my bags have nature themes or a twist of retro in the shape of blossoms, trees, leaves or even animals. I really love retro mixed with modern, it pretty much describes my whole style.

4. How did you get started and how did you know you "found" your place in the craft world?

Well after I received my new sewing machine I got busy making pillows, table runners and other house hold items for around the house. My mother-in-law would come over and love what she saw and wanted me to make her things like pillows. Then I made some sleep masks, Christmas stockings, aprons, etc and I would send pictures to my mother who lives in Canada. She also loved what she saw and wanted to purchase items from me for peoples Christmas presents. I was like, wow does it really look that good to sell? Lol, nothing like family support. From there I did my first craft show and then found good Ol' Etsy.

5. Do you get lost in a fabric store for hours?

If only my husband would let me! But I usually go into a craft store with not really a specific fabric or item in mind to buy. I like to see and feel the variety and find the one fabric that stands out from the crowd. I look for unique and bold prints usually.

6. Where can people find your stylish bags and crafty like goodness?

L*egant Style can be found online at snowyangel.etsy.com . We're open 24hrs day and 7 days a week. ;)

November 10, 2007

Clackamas Christian Center Bazaar!!



Holiday Bazaar


Saturday Nov. 11, 2007

8-5 P.M.

13333 SE Rusk Road

Milwaukie, Oregon 97222
100 + Vendors

Including Punky Kidz

&

Me, Little Daisy Chains!!

November 8, 2007

Take The Handmade Pledge!!!

Support Handmade artisans this Holiday season!! Take the pledge!

http://www.buyhandmade.org


Why buy handmade?

Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that can be seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

Buying handmade is better for people.

The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.

Buying handmade is better for the environment.

The accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production.

So um yeah, buy handmade!!

Still not convinced? Watch this fun video;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogl39zCQ0ro

November 5, 2007

The PDX Trunk Show!!

PDX Does NYC!!
PDX takes a break to watch the Magestica Monologues
Danielle of Miss Purl/Poetic Purl takes a few pics of her own (and if you look REALLY closely you'll see my Mom in the back)


Ryan of Littleput Books & a fan!!
Adrienne of Mmm..Fiber!


Leah of Leah Pellegrini Taking A Well Deserved Break
Matt shopping to keep his wife cozy this winter!!

Rob & Magestica shopping it up

Kristin of Urbana says cheese for the camera crew!!

Leah back in action with a customer

Yay, it's Mary of Pretty Things Jewelry!

The Taping Of A Trunk Show, Storque Style

Lea of Leak Arts discussing LaFrenchie's photography


A silly short video to give all a feel for the atmosphere of the show!!

PDX Etsy In New York!!!

Okay really...

I've been behind, waaaaaaaay behind!! Why you ask? Well between an awesome trip to New York and a new part time job, lets just say I've been preoccupied. Oh and did I mention I have three kids?

Now it is time to play catch up and what better way for me to start to reminisce on the last few weeks then to share with you the set up of each of the artists that attended the Etsy PDX to NYC trunk show!

The warm, colorful and knotty like goodness of Mmm..Fiber!!



Poetic Purl's Gorgeous Array Of Jewelry


Urbana's Pottery For All


It's Leak Arts and LaFrenchie, Yay!!!



Scrabbeliouciously Littleput Oh My!


LeahPellegrini's Vibrant Glass Art


Oh and then there was Little Daisy Chains (that's me)!!


October 15, 2007

Portland Made - John Ryan Brubaker of Pixelgrain

PIXELGRAIN


John Ryan Brubaker


Sometimes I've never met the Portland Made artist, sometimes I don't even have some silly random story about how I came to find out about their wonderful universe, but in every single instance I do see something that says, "look at me, I'm amazing!" and that was definitely the case when I tripped upon John Ryan Brubaker of Pixelgrain.

I must say I felt a little nervous asking this time around but after talking with Ryan that was all set aside and I got to know an amazing photographer, yay!




1) When did you know you had a knack for photography? Do you remember the first picture you ever took?

Well, my father has been a photographer since he was in college, so I grew up around cameras and weird photo equipment of all kinds. But it wasn't until my mother bought me a Minolta X-700 for my 16th birthday that I really had much interest in taking pictures myself. I don't remember my first picture, but I do still have some prints of my friends around that time that must have been from one of my first rolls of film. But it wasn't until I took a photo class in college that I really found that taking pictures was therapeutic for me - I used to drive out into tiny Southern Georgia towns and get lost with a few rolls of Tri-X. I think that's what got me hooked.


2) Your shots in themselves are amazing and extremely vivid but when I see them placed on the wood blocks they really jump out at me and grow this completely different life. Was this a planned effect or was it more of an unexpected result? What made you want to go the extra mile and how did you come to the decision to use other mediums in your work?



Well thanks! The glazed prints on plywood that I've been making lately were a direct result of my poverty. I had an opportunity to hang a show but couldn't afford to frame 20 prints at the time, so I started trying out other options for presenting photos. In the end the best deal and the most fun was to cut plywood down to size and add some acrylic and a bit of paint-on glaze. I've come to really appreciate the process now because I get to make a huge mess and play with wood and paint and power-saws. Photography can be a very sterile process, but I'm just not a sterile person. As for the result, I like that each piece is a bit different and that you can see the imperfections and a bit of a human touch.

3) Has being a designer helped your photography? How do you think they effect each other if at all?

Being a designer is has definitely influenced my photography, sometimes even more than I think it should. My recent stuff has been as much about shape, line and color as it is about the content of photographs. I find myself shooting a great composition on the side of a building, where the telephone cables, window frames and power meter just fit together in an accidentally stunning way to me. I'm pretty sure that if I didn't spend so much time with lines, shapes and colors in my work they wouldn't be so prevalent in my photography.

4) Where can Portlander's find your work around town? How about people outside of Portland?


At the moment there's a smattering of my stuff up at Mash Tun Brew Pub at 22nd and Alberta in NE Portland. The place makes great beer and both the juke box and the pool table are free... so I highly suggest it. I don't have much lined up for the coming months, unfortunately, but I should be out at Last Thursday this month and will hopefully be up around town again soon.The best way to see my photos is probably on my website http://www.pixelgrain.org/. I've been collecting work there for some time and you can subscribe to see my recent stuff as I post it. I've also got a few things up on Etsy right now pixelgrain.etsy.com, and I hope to add more in the near future. Short of a visit to North Portland, Etsy is the best place to see what the glazed wood prints really look like. Also, you might happen to see me wandering about town pointing an old 70's Polaroid or a weird looking Pentax at an empty wall somewhere. If you do please be sure to say hello...

October 11, 2007

The Sweetest Thing Evah!!

I got a package in the mail today for my birthday!! When I saw who it was from my first thought was yay because I recognized the name, it was one of my favorite repeat customers but then a sudden spark of panic hit... oh no, had something fallen apart??!! I opened up the envelope right then and there and inside the mailer was a cute black jewelry box with an adorable hand decorated gift tag that said Happy Birthday Beck! I got all teary eyed, I never would've imagined in a million years that I would be getting a birthday present from a customer and what made it so cool was it was one who has supported me since the beginning!! I was so moved I called the hubby from the car. Once I got home I took off the bow and opened it up and it was the cutest pair of little flower earrings ever. Yay! I love them big time!!!

Aloha!