Spreading Good Cheer GIVEAWAY August and Etsy Pick of the Week :: sometimesiswirl

Yes, after the long hiatus, the Etsy Pick is back!

This week, I bring you a wonderfully talented little lady by the name of Sarah Hennessey, who draws and doodles as a first love, but also embroiders her creations (yes, yes, you can tell i have a certain bias affinity towards embroiderers hehe). Her pen ink drawings remind me of a dear childhood friend D. D once doodled (beautifully) all over a photo frame, included a picture of us and gave it to me as a birthday present. I still have it to this day, even though she presented it to me 12 years ago (OMG!)

But back to Sarah, of the Etsy store sometimesiswirl. I looked through her Flickr account and I'm so much more in LOVE with her drawings now. I know i should include more pictures of her ink drawings, but I really love how her designs translate so well into embroidery! See it for yourself in the pictures below. Or you can check out her flickr too!

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1. When and how did you begin drawing / doodling, and what is your background?

I was drawing and doodling ever since I could hold a pencil, it seems. As a young child, I loved coloring books (always tried to rope a parent into coloring with me), and in elementary school, I was constantly doodling little abstract designs in my notebooks, on the back of my left hand, in sketch books at home, everywhere. I did also take art classes in grade school and high school, and in college, I majored in Art History. For my major, I was required to take a handful of studio courses, so I do have experience with drawing, design, painting, and fibers from college.





2. You sell prints of your illustrations, but also embroider them as well. Why do you choose embroidery over other methods of presenting your illustrations?

I just decided to try embroidery one day, and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I didn't even have a set idea or object in mind, and naturally, the composition that started to take shape resembled one of my illustrations - while it wasn't perfect, I was surprised by the fact that the piece turned out halfway decent, so I just continued to sew my designs. Through a lot of trial and error, I've found that I absolutely love embroidering. It's incredibly relaxing, and I think my designs translate naturally to fabric and thread. I'm still able to capture quite a bit of detail by separating out a smaller number of strands from the embroidery floss, and there are endless possibilities with color, so I think that helps too.


My favorite!


3. What are some your influences and sources of inspiration for your illustrations?

I have always found myself gravitating toward mehndi, floral textile patterns, but at the same time, I love really modern and simple design, too. I absolutely love the early drawings of Paul Klee (anything by him, actually). I also love the automatic drawings of Andre Masson. Other illustrators who inspire me: Heinrich Kley, Kay Nielsen, Hannah Davies, Alphonse Mucha (love art nouveau), Hannah Firmin, Nadia Flower, Yellena James. Oh I could go on forever...



French knots are fun!


4. Do you have a favorite piece, or a special story about an illustration to share?

I will always have a soft spot for this drawing (see below), as it's the first thing I listed in my etsy shop when I first opened it, and it very much inspired most of my other "swirl" drawings that came after it. I have really loved coming up with different variations of the weird, abstract garden scenes I draw - they all kind of derive from this one.





5. Do you have a day job, or do you do this full-time? Can you share a few tips towards your success?

I do have a full-time day job at a university, so I must do all-things-etsy after hours. I recently did a blog post imparting my most important advice, and you can find that here. If I had to pick some really quick tips, I'd say take photography very seriously, and have an established/experienced seller critique your photos and shop listings. Also, network network network - In person AND throughout the etsy community (or, in whatever artistic/creative community you belong). As soon as I joined some incredible teams on Etsy, I really challenged myself to improve my shop. Also, being on a team provides an incredible support system.


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And here is the giveaway for the month of August! One lucky reader will win a set of 5 Abstract Flower blank notecards (pictured above) if you:

1. Leave a comment below
2. Go to Sarah Hennessey's Facebook page and 'Like' it
3. Tweet (@punkychewster) about the giveaway
4. Follow my page

Leave a separate comment for each of the above. PLEASE include your email address when leaving an entry below so I have a way of contacting the winner. Giveaway ends Friday, Sept 2nd, 2011, 11:59PM EDT. International readers are welcome as usual, and a random winner will be picked!

Alrighty! Have fun and happy weekend!

+ Winner of Amy Perrotti Giveaway +

And we have a winner for the Amy Perrotti Pink Hanfu Matryoshka Girl Art Print giveaway!

*drumroll please*





WHEE!!!!!

Danielle, please contact me at granolabar AT gmail DOT com with your mailing address! Hope to hear from you soon! :)

Spreading Good Cheer Giveaway (July) + Etsy Pick of the Week: Amy Perrotti

Hi y'all!

I'm bursting with excitement to tell you all about this week's Etsy find. I am always very excited to find fellow Etsians in and around my area and I try to buy from these stores. The other day I bought a very cute vintage weekender bag off Etsy from a lady who lives in Greenville, SC. I must admit, the location is one of the factors that makes or breaks the deal. For one, shipping costs affects the final price of the product, and then, I get excited to think that these local artists are so close by that I might have unwittingly met them at some point or another. It's completely baseless, but that's just me!


Vintage Floral Tapestry Weekender Bag



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So today, I bring you a very talented lady who lives about an hour's drive away! Her name is Amy Perrotti of the Etsy shop under the same name. I came across her illustrations on Etsy one day, and was intrigued by her life story. And because this mother's love for her daughter inspired such creativity, we are able to share in her colorful illustrations that celebrate unity in diversity.

I bring you Amy Perrotti.



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1) Can you tell us a little on how you got started on Matryoshka illustrations?

Years ago, I was shopping with my husband Eric at an antique store, when I came across a painted portrait of a woman wearing a scarf around her head (matryoshka style). It was unsigned and is probably by an amateur, but I fell in love with it. I have displayed it in our master bedroom ever since. Staring at it every morning as I wake has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on my mind. I have always loved nesting dolls, always wanted one as a child. One of the perks of having a daughter is I was able to buy her nesting dolls. We adopted our daughter from China, and we want to and do celebrate her heritage. A few years back I was wanting to draw some portraits of my daughter and her friends and I guess all of these things factored into my decision to draw them as matryoshkas.



2) Your illustrations are depictions of the people of different cultures. Do you have a favorite that you enjoyed illustrating the most, OR perhaps do you have a special story to share about a particular one?

It would be hard to pick a favorite matryoshka drawing. The ones inspired by my daughter would be obvious picks since I do adore her very much. These would be my Chinese Hanfu Matryoshka and my Tibetan Matryoshka (she is not Tibetan but I did incorporate her likeness (sometimes I can't resist). My Aqua Indian and Indian Mother and Daughters illustrations I especially adore. The Indian community has been very supportive of my work and kind to me as an artist. I must say though, the people of many different countries and backgrounds have been very supportive. I am very thankful and lucky.



Indian Mothers and Daughters Matryoshka Art Print



3) What is your research process before you begin each illustration? (does it involve travelling to different places? i hope you do because that will be such fun!)

I am working exclusively from a suggestions list (posted on my blog) and work on it in the order that I receive the suggestions. This helps because I know what is coming up and what to be researching. I have done some research in my local library but predominantly the internet is where I do the majority of my research. Here, people have shared their cultures and people who research cultures share what they have found too. I'm not an anthropologist but I do love people and cultures and have a great deal of respect for both. My Matryoshka illustrations are my original designs, my artistic interpretation, inspired by various cultures. They share common design elements to both unify the collection and to illustrate that all cultures, all peoples, have much in common. I hope my work sparks interest and curiosity in the viewer's own heritage and inspires them to do their own research to learn more about the many cultures of our world. Through education, knowledge of ourselves and other people comes understanding and respect and I believe it is the road to a peaceful planet.



4) Have you travelled to many different places? Which destination is most memorable and why?

I was born in Ohio, lived in South Carolina as a child, and then North Carolina since the age of ten. I have also traveled within the US along the East Coast. I've only been abroad during our trip to China to meet and adopt our daughter. We were very lucky to have had this opportunity to travel extensively throughout China (Beijing, Xi'an, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong). We would love to travel more, see more of the world and of the US. My grandfather was in the military and my mother lived all over the world as a child. The stories she, my aunt, and grandparents have shared also have had an influence on me.


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Chinese Pink Hanfu Girl Matryoshka



Wasn't that a great story? In celebration of my Chinese heritage, I am giving away a signed copy of Amy Perrotti's Chinese Pink HanFu Girl Matryoshka 5x7 Art Print.

To enter this giveaway, visit Amy Perrotti's Blog and leave her a suggestion on her blog for a new Matryoshka doll to illustrate. Then leave a comment below to let me know that you've done so!

Also, you can leave another comment below if you share this blog entry on Twitter or your Facebook.

And as usual, following this blog would be very nice indeed! I do monthly giveaways, haha!

Ok back to serious business. This giveaway ends 31st July, 11:59pm EDT. I'll be shipping worldwide, so everyone can join in the fun! The winner will be picked at random via the random number generator @ random.org

Alright, hop on over to Amy's page to leave her some love! xx

********** THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED! THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING! **********

Etsy Pick of the Week :: Lepidoptery by jewiseha

I first came across this Etsy store when I made my treasury list The Rainbow Connection. Janelle is her name, and Lepidoptery is where she sells her mixed media art in different forms. From cards to jewelry, her creations make great conversational pieces. The last I checked, Janelle has also found a way to make her jewelry pieces water resistant. To read more about it, go to her shop and read the shop announcement.

And without further ado, here is this week's special!

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1. Can you tell us more about yourself and how you got into photography, painting and drawing?

Most of my life has been spent in an artistic environment. My mother is an artist, so I grew up learning to approach everything with a creative mind. It wasn’t until undergrad at Valdosta State University that I really developed as an artist. Since that time, mixed media painting and drawing have become my passion.





2. And a little more about your Etsy shop, and the significance behind the name 'Lepidoptery'.

This fall I am planning on attending graduate school for my MFA in studio art. I opened my Etsy shop earlier this year in order to help me finance attending school. This was my first attempt at jewelry making. I believe I chose paper as a medium because of my interest in origami as a child.

The name “Lepidoptery” is defined as the study and/or collection of moths and butterflies. While creating my shop I was looking for a title that was unique, feminine, poetic and yet personal. The study of moths is one of my hobbies. One day I hope to breed local endangered moths, helping to increase their numbers in the wild.




3. You have translated your designs into edgy and fun jewelry pieces as well. Why have you chosen to do so?

My approach to jewelry making is similar to how I make art. I strive for the unique and almost unnatural. Strong lines and color are key elements. I derive inspiration from artists like Alexander Calder. His use of geometric shapes within a three-dimensional moving space is amazing.

4. What is the next step for your Etsy store? Any exciting news ahead?

The future of my shop is uncertain at the moment. When I opened in January, I did not plan to stay open past August. To my surprise, the shop is doing better than I thought it would. I would like to keep it open while I attend school at USF.

Greeting cards are a new item. This is a way for me to share my love of illustration with my customers. I am working on some other ideas for this as well, so check back soon.


Kiki Smith | Via

5. Do you have a personal favorite artist that inspires you, and would you like to share with us?

There are so many artists that inspire me. Kiki Smith will always be my main source of inspiration. I fell in love with drawing after viewing her prints. Thrush Holmes has been on my mind the past few months. He is an amazing painter from Canada, who really knows how to use color.

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Thank you, dear Janelle for taking the time to help out in the interview, and I wish you all the best with your studies and your shop!

Etsy Pick of the Week :: Sukan

I am loving the Middle Eastern designs on these pillows!! Made from antique rugs, known as kilim, they are upcycled into fabulous looking new pillow covers! I love the colors and designs; and the pattern placements are impeccable, giving the rug-turned-pillow-covers a whole new look!



Sukan / SOFT Hand Woven - Turkish Kilim Pillow Cover - 16x16



SOFT Hand Woven - Turkish Kilim Pillow Cover - 16x16



SOFT Hand Woven - Turkish Kilim Pillow Cover - 16x16


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But guess what made my day?

♥♥ Embroidered lovelies! ♥♥


Hand Embroidered Suzani-Pillow Cover



Hand Embroidered Suzani-Pillow Cover



Hand Embroidered Suzani-Pillow Cover

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According to Wiki,

Kilims are flat tapestry-woven carpets or rugs produced from the Balkans to Pakistan. Kilims can be purely decorative or can function as prayer rugs.

Kilims are produced by tightly interweaving the warp and weft strands of the weave to produce a flat surface with no pile. Most kilim weaves are "weft-facing", i.e., the horizontal weft strands are pulled tightly downward so that they hide the vertical warp strands.

The weft strands, which carry the visible design and color, are almost always wool, whereas the hidden warp strands can be either wool or cotton. The warp strands are only visible at the ends, where they emerge as the fringe. This fringe is usually tied in bunches, to ensure against loosening or unraveling of the weave.

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Go check out the Etsy shop Sukan. The prices may be a little steep, but there's a sale going on right now! If you can afford it, it'll really be a nice piece of vintage loveliness to own!

A girl can dream, can't she?

Ok so this is not an Etsy shop feature, but my lovely friend from the sunny isle of Singapore is dreaming of making it happen, starting her own site selling delish items that will make a fashionista proud!

So as promised, and in the spirit of the GREAT Singapore Sale (that is so totally going on right now on the other side of the world), I present you...



The Dream Machine

...bringing stylish items to your doorstep, two pieces at a time.

Go check it out!


After all, us girls can dream, can't we?

Etsy Pick of the Week :: Magnolia Handspun

This week, I give you a lovely little Etsy shop that sells beautifully colored homespun yarn with yummylicious names. I'd like to feature art materials as opposed to finished creations for once. And it is amazing how even a material used to make other creations, can be a form of art in itself!



The lovely lady Camilla is the brainchild and talent behind the Etsy shop Magnolia Handspun, where she sells yarn she spins and dyes by hand. She has graciously helped me out with a short interview. So without further ado, here is a little more about this amazing woman and her works of art.

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1. How did you first learn to spin and dye your own yarns?

I learned to spin by borrowing books at the library. I bought a drop spindle and practised and practiced... this was a few years ago. I wanted to spin more yarn and finally decided to buy a spinning wheel. I met a woman who selling her used one - she wanted to buy her husband a new saddle for his horse and decided that she would sell her wheel she rarely used...and so that was how I got started.

I joined a local spinning guild where women of all ages guided and taught me. At that time, I was pregnant with my 4th child and had to haul that spinning wheel through snow drifts every other Wenesday morning to the spinning guild- but I was very determined.

I grew up in Scandinavia and spent my summers with my grandparents in Sweden in the country. I learned to use natural dyes such as birch leaves, blueberries , cabbage, just to name a few. My grandfather always encouraged me and taught me about native plants that grew in the area that could be used for dyeing.



Via Madeline Bea

2. Many people have bought and used your yarn in their creations. Do you use your own yarn too and do you have a special creation to share?

Yes, I use my own yarn... but you know how the saying goes " A potter eats off a broken bowl"
I just don't seem to find the time. When I spin yarn, I wonder sometimes who that skein will go to...where it will go to...Australia, Spain or Ohio- and what will become of it.
I do knit knit hats, cowls and fingerless mitts that I sell at a local boutique in town.



Via Earthern Purl

3. One of the reasons your yarn caught my eye was the amazing colors you put together. What is the inspiration behind the different color palettes?

I studied art many years in college and also went to interior design school. Color is my bff.
I love color. I find inspiration in nature, fabrics, food, inside a sea shell......the possibilties are endless.

My color palettes just happen- they are what I feel at the moment.



Bella Bella

4. I understand you have just started your Etsy shop not too long ago. Do you have any words of encouragement for new Etsy sellers, especially those who sell their own works of art?

I am relativly new here - not even a year...
I guess I would say, be kind, be kind, be kind.

Nobody wants to buy from a snorky person.

Use your manners and say thank you- appreciate your customers and they will appreciate you. Make it effortless to buy from your shop the easier the transaction the more buyers will come. Back up your product- be true to your art and your heart.

Don't give up.


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Camilla has also shared with us a knitting pattern that was created exclusively for her yarn. The Aspen Ice Lace Cowl was created to fully showcase the colors and texture of the yarn. If you are a knitter, you might want to get a skein and have a go at it! If you do, please share images of your final project!

Etsy Pick of the Week :: It's You & Me in Summertime!

It's an explosion of colors! I made this treasury list and loved it so much that I want to share it with you all! Just looking at the colors make me feel so happy! Ain't it such a sunshine summery palette? So now instead of ONE Etsy store feature, i give you SIXTEEN! O_O

I was going to do an interview with one or two Etsy stores but I emailed them too late. So perhaps that'll go up another time.

Meanwhile, if you click on the individual thumbnails, it will lead you directly to the stores. I painstakingly made sure I linked everything up. So have a summery blast shopping around! I <3 Etsy!

Etsy Pick of the Week :: Teva Gallery ::

This week's Etsy find features my funny feathered friends - birds!
I love the intricate details of the illustrations, and the use of the watercolors. If only i could paint or draw like that! *envious*













Teva Gallery is doing a 2 For 1 Sale on any 8" X 10" print. Make sure you check it out! They make pretty home decor, don't you think? I know I would get them for my home, if I had one to call my own!

Etsy Pick of the Week :: bylina ::

You know how embroidery excites me.

When I made my treasury list some time ago, I found this little gem of a shop - bylina.

The lovely lady, Katarina is the inspiration behind this Etsy shop. I've had the privilege to do a short interview with her. I am in love with her collection of vintage linens, hand embroidery and lace, and I want to share my finds with you!



1. Tell us a little about yourself

I live in the beautiful city of Barcelona with my husband and our little boy. After years in the fashion industry I decided it was time to get creative on my own. For a long time I have been collecting vintage hand made embroidery from Slovakia, where I am originally from. Embroidery is a very important part of Slovak folk cultural heritage. It is generally very rich in color combinations, motifs and the craftsmanship that has gone into making it is absolutely amazing. Also I grew up in an environment where crafting was an everyday occurrence. Both my grandmothers and my mum love needlecraft. To this day I still scavenge my local flea markets with my grand mother in search of vintage embroidery.


2. And a little about your Etsy shop, bylina

The idea behind my shop was to give a new purpose to beautiful vintage hand made needle-crafted pieces that would be otherwise locked up in my closet. The largest part of my collection are embroidered tablecloths which I find are not very practical for every day use. So I started to repurpose them into objects that I could easily incorporate in my home and fit better with my sense of aesthetic. For now, in my Etsy shop, I sell repurposed pillow covers, wall art and vintage pieces. But there is much more to come...



3. What do you draw your inspirations from?

My inspiration comes from the needlecraft itself and the hours that were dedicated into making it, which I really admire.


4. What is your favorite piece by far, and why?

It is very hard for me to pick just one piece as a favorite because each piece is different and unique. But I do have two favorites : the pair of vintage embroidered wall art hoops and the vintage geometric hand woven pillow cover (both featured in this article).


5. Do you have any words of encouragement for new Etsy sellers out there?

I listed my first item on Etsy three months ago so I am still very new at this and I am still learning...


Well, aren't we all learning every day anyway.


Thank you Katarina, you were so kind to oblige! Please visit bylina for more vintage embroidered beauties!!