French Linen Tote (Alder & Co.)

“KNOT” Rope Basket (Alder & Co.)

Sailcloth Pot Holder (Alder & Co.)

Gemstone Magnets (LEIF)

Batik Coffee Scoop (LEIF)

Chrysocolla Necklace (LEIF)

]]> http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2012/01/13/shop-crushes/feed/ 3 http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2010/02/14/spotlight-heidi-crawford-of-hmc-designs/ http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2010/02/14/spotlight-heidi-crawford-of-hmc-designs/#comments Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:12:27 +0000 Shannon Shirley http://furiousshirley.com/blog/?p=1711 read more »]]> I first became familiar with HMC Designs during an Etsy search for all things teddy bear [for my post, "Please Bear with Me"].  It was hard not to fall in love with the adorable designs of Australian Artist, Heidi Crawford.

The product list includes gift cards, badges [buttons], magnets, colorful plushies, hair bobbles, and baby bibs – all hand crafted and some are even customizable!  HMC Designs started in 2005 and quickly grew from selling at local market stands to a booming retail and online business.  With the recent birth of her daughter, I just had to find out how Heidi finds the time to do it all [because there are days I can hardly find the time to shower!].  I also wanted to know more about her business and motivation …. here’s the Q & A:

How do you balance being a new mom and running your business?

“I try to find a good balance between looking after my daughter, my home and finally my business! I do a lot of my design work when she is napping during the day and after she has gone to bed at night.  I am very lucky to have a wonderful partner and a close knit family who are always available any time I need help or someone to baby sit  for a few hours when I need to fill an order or spend time at a market.
I think the key to running my business successfully is making sure that I am really organized and set achievable goals. This means lots of  “To Do” lists!  There’s nothing better than ticking the “Done” box after you have successfully completed something.”

What is your best selling item?

“My best selling item would have to be my Wedding and Graduation cards.  

I have found that people really love the option to customize the faces so they look like the recipient. This feature makes the card that little bit more special when compared to the generic wedding card you may find in your local store.”

Where do you get the inspiration for all of the cute little characters?

“Currently, I am finding a lot of inspiration in children’s picture books, but I have always been fascinated with imagery from Japanese Pop culture.  As a child I practised my drawing by copying Sanrio characters and cute illustrations found in Japanese magazines.  From here I became interested in Anime and Pop Art in general.  For a few years now I have been collecting lots of colourful and interesting images, figurines and treasures.  All of these provide me with endless amounts of inspiration to continue designing and creating.”

Any plans to bring the products to US stores?

“Up until quite recently I have only been selling my products online and at local art markets.  I have just started approaching stores here and so far I have been getting a really positive response.  So once I have tackled the Australian market I hope to venture overseas to the US.  Having said that, if any overseas wholesaling opportunities pop up in the meantime I will definitely consider them.”

What makes you laugh?

“I love this super cute comic strip called “Patchesâ” -  It never fails to make me laugh.”

What is your favorite home decor item?

“My partner and I purchased some amazing outdoor “Roca” chairs from a fellow stallholder [Carey Potter] at an Artists’ Market here in Melbourne.  They have a really grungy, weathered feel – they don’t look it, but they are really comfortable!
When I have a spare moment, I love to sit out in my backyard on my Roca and relax.”

[Heidi, I just might have to come to Melbourne to get one of these chairs!  I LOVE THEM!!]

Have you been selling the baby bibs [they are adorable!] for awhile or was this something that came about when you found out you were going to be a mom?

“I started making the baby bibs after my daughter was born. I had a lot of trouble finding good quality cotton bibs that not only did its job but also looked good too.  I gave a few as gifts to friends who had recently had babies and after receiving a lot of positive feedback from them and after my own extensive testing with my own baby, I decided that they would definitely become part of my product range.”

Thank you, Heidi!!!  Can’t wait to see your stuff in the shops, but for now I am content with buying from your Etsy store!

Fourteen years ago, Tammy retired from a long career as a Respiratory Therapist.  Since then she owned and sold several small business – all of them born out of passion for the things she loves.  She took a few years off when her son started high school, but fears of an ‘empty nest’ and a need to give back to the world won Tammy over in 2008 when Earth Lover was founded.  Her daughter, Micah Elaine, is working on her Masters in Teaching in Atlanta and her son, Spencer Ryan, has been working on restoring a ’67 VW Microbus [his recycling project] and plans to attend MIT after high school.  These amazing children were part of Tammy’s inspiration, as she wanted to set an example for them as they go out into the world and choose their roles in society.  Since she had experience importing goods and a love for handmade, starting a green business and working with Fair Trade products seemed like the perfect fit.  With the support of her architect husband, Tammy got busy searching for goods from all over the world, “that not only bring joy into the lives of the recipient, but give back so much to the world and the beautiful people struggling to live in many parts of it”.

Tammy calls Earth Lover an alternative shopping experience.  It’s a place to shop, to learn, and to give.  “If my site can make my customers think about how simple it can be to help others through a small purchase of a beautiful product, then maybe they will begin to think about ALL of their purchases and one tiny step at a time we can make a difference.”

You can find earth-friendly products at Earth Lover for your home, your pets, your children, yourself, and your friends.  Like these handmade Fair Trade Christmas Stockings – perfect for the upcoming holidays!  Handmade in Guatemala and Armenia, the stocking on the left is made from recycled burlap coffee bags and the stocking on the right is 100% cotton with a fluffy wool top!

Click on images for more info.

Wrap yourself up on those cold winter nights in the comfort of a Swazi Blanket.  Handmade from 100% cotton by the lovely women of Swaziland and made available in the USA through Creative Women [a Fair Trade organization based in Vermont].

Click image for more info.

Q & A

Tammy Wilson of Earth Lover [You wouldn't believe how shy she was about sending me a pic!  For a while I thought she might have one eye, a warted nose, and horns! - LOL.  Soooo not the case - great picture, Tammy - thank you!]

What is your best selling item right now and why do you think it’s so popular?

“Right this VERY MINUTE my best selling product is the Recycled Jute Backpack- it is CUTE , colorful, unique, and a great price. It is starting to slow down, now that back to school has settled in, but still quite popular. Right behind that would be my Cruelty Free leather backpacks, messengers, and the Hemp Messengers. They are just great products, unisex, and really hard to find in cruelty free leather. I have a hard time keeping them in stock, as the Fair Trade makers in Nepal have limited production, and I ALWAYS sell out!”

Where do you find the products you sell?

“EVERYWHERE! I have products from Fair Trade members, local artists, small US companies, Non- profits. And I have NEVER been to a wholesale market!! (I KNOW!!)  SO much of what I have is found by web searching for hours on end, late into the night- and from networking. People involved in Eco products, and Fair Trade tend to be very open and helpful, so it is not uncommon at all to be working with one group or person, and they share with me about another – I love that!“

What is your favorite way to relax?

“Can you define that word, I am not familiar….. I am only 5’2” – and I frequently remind my friends and family that I am actually about 6’ Tall- I am just wound very tightly!! Haha! I do quilt- by hand- I know, who DOES this any more- but it is very relaxing. And I cook. Too Much. (Not too often, just too much- can you say LEFTOVER?) In the spring I grow vegetables.  Organic, of course.  I can totally chill in the garden for hours picking weeds.”

Why do you think people should buy eco-friendly and fair trade goods?

“Why WOULDN”T you??? Maybe I am naive, but I really believe that if people are educated about their choices, it is just not a choice any more!  If I ask anyone if they would rather have this handbag, or flower vase, from a sweatshop somewhere in the world, or a filthy polluting factory- or this other product from a Fair Trade Co-op that is supporting the welfare of people and making products in a way that considers the impact on our environment…Really, WHO is going to say, “Oh. I really Prefer the Sweat shop, thank you!” I really do believe it is just a matter of OFFERING an option, and educating the shopper. Maybe I am just a True Believer- but I really do believe that people are inherently Good, and would much prefer to choose Good when it is effectively offered!”

What’s something silly that most people don’t know about you?

“I talk too much to have any secrets. Really!  Ha! I don’t know…I am a vegetarian (no surprise really).   I am terrified to fly.  So I may never see many of the places that I work so hard to support – how sad is that?  Maybe someday…but I am REALLY terrified.  I have flown- lots of times- but it is hardly worth the trauma and I am getting more terrified every year.
I also like to sing stupid made up spontaneous songs during any time of great stress for my loved ones.  Yea, they REALLY appreciate this.  I recently had a Greatest Hits  involving the SAT!  It is REALLY silly, but it does relieve stress when someone is making a complete fool of themselves on your behalf.  Shannon, that may be way too silly for ANYONE to know!!” -Tammy, you are not alone.  I sing about diapers, going to the grocery store, taking a bath, and a few other things I won’t mention.

BIG THANKS to Tammy Wilson of Earth Lover!!! This shop is definitely one to watch!

XO!

]]> http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2009/12/01/spotlight-tammy-wilson-of-earth-lover/feed/ 5 http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2009/05/29/spotlight-anna-butler-of-custom-made/ http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2009/05/29/spotlight-anna-butler-of-custom-made/#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 02:23:13 +0000 Shannon Shirley http://furiousshirley.com/blog/?p=297 read more »]]> In 2004, designer Anna Butler launched Custom Made out of her love for handcrafting, accessories, and all things adorable.  Anna grew up in Oxford in the UK, where she inherited the sewing gene from her “mum and gram”.  [My mom bought me a sewing machine that sits in the back of my closet taunting me.  I'm lucky if I can stitch a button back on ... and so is my mom for that matter!]  A friend of mine in London tipped me off to Anna’s goods and I raved about the Tweet Brooches and French Daisy Necklace in one of my previous posts.  Anna creates some of the most darling handcrafted items I have seen in awhile … and with a sense of humor!  Check out this awesome “Beware of the Yeti” Brooch – guys can wear this too!

Or these super cute “Mushie Cushies” to dress up your bed, sofa, or children’s room!

And last, but certainly not least, a beautiful Vintage Flower Ring – a perfect spring/summer accessory!

Custom Made’s merchandise has received the praises of London’s Sunday Times Style Guide, Print and Pattern, Indie Quarter, and several trendy magazines and blogs across Europe and the US.  Here in the States, you can find Custom Made wares at Renegade Handmade and Komoda in Chicago as well as The Makery in Louisville, KY or you can always order online at the Custom Made shop.  Anna also has a BLOG to check out!

Q & A

Anna Butler, Creator of Custom Made [How awesome is this pic?  LOVE IT!]

What is the first craft you remember making?
“I used to make outfits for my Barbies.  The first item I made using a pattern was a Barbie sun hat!”

What inspires you?
“Inspiration for me comes from everywhere – it can be a fabric I see, a button, a pretty charm.  I am really into bright and pretty colors so I fill my head with them at all times.”

Your favorite color combination?
“For me, black and black!  For products, anything that goes well with a very pretty turq.”

What are your best selling items?
“At the moment, the Little Dolly Brooch – everyone loves them!”

Five things you couldn’t live without.
“Anthony, my sewing machine, music, books, and at the moment Guitar Hero [sad, but true].”
[Note - No worries, Anna ... I am addicted to Mario Kart on the Wii ... addictive.]

Two things most people don’t know about you.
“I have watched Napoleon Dynamite so many times I know all the words, and I wish I could fly.  I dream about flying regularly.”

BIG THANKS to Anna from CUSTOM MADE!  I have a feeling this brand is only getting started!  XO

XOX

Magazines.  I love flipping through the pages and gathering ideas for my home and life, reading helpful tips and inspiring stories, checking out the latest clothing and makeup trends, and occassionaly getting a gossip fix.  With so many titles out there, I would be paying a fortune in subscription fees if I were reading all of the magazines I wanted to … but not anymore.

With packages as low as $4.95/month, Maghound lets me choose 3 or more magazines to receive each month and I can cancel or switch titles at anytime.  It’s like Netflix for magazines.  Awesome.  No hassles, no strings, just pure reading entertainment.

Loungewear. Just saying it is relaxing.  Grown-up pajamas.  Soft, comfy, and sometimes even sexy.  Like this organic kimono from VivaTerra -

Or these super cute hand knitted booties [also from VivaTerra] -

And these ultra soft bamboo yoga pants from Sandmaiden I found on Etsy -

With so many cute and comfortable options, you can spend your mornings/evenings lounging around in style.  Ahhhhh.