Saturday 26 March 2011

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A few shops from the UK

Thought I would leave the United Kingdom to the very end of my quest to promote European shops during Euroweek.

Featuring Peg Bessie - http://www.etsy.com/shop/PegBessie


My name is Rachel Bessey, I am a self-employed artist, I trade on Etsy under the name of Peg Bessie as my Great Grandmother was a peg maker and this nick-name has carried down the generations.
I split my time between Norfolk in England and a commune in Andalucia, Spain. I live close to nature in both countries where the peace and colours of nature help me indulge my work.
I work with a variety of materials and styles as I like to keep things exciting! so in store you will find Ceramic sculptures, recycled art plates, digital prints, paintings, jewellery and always other new and unexpected items. If I were to sum up my style I would say colour, pattern and humour are key to my work. Its about fun, escapism and not taking life too seriously!

Featuring Lucyloucreations - http://www.etsy.com/shop/lucyloucreations



My name is Lucy I live in a little market town called Penistone on the pennines in South Yorkshire, England. I love unusual fabrics. I'm a fabric addict and collect fabrics from all over the world. I make accessories from my fabric finds. I was brought up with sewing and learnt from a young age as my mum made all my clothes as a child and sewing is like second nature and I adore every second.

I live quite close to Barnsley which has a language all of its own.. for example:
Hey up = Hello
Ah tha gooin on? = How are you?
I ent sin thee fer ages = I haven't seen you for sometime
What thy onervbart thee? = I'm sorry, I don't understand

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Latvia

Requests are coming in thick and fast to be featured in these blog posting to celebrate Euroweek on Etsy.

Today I am featuring Rita who owns a shop called Alatvian http://www.etsy.com/shop/alatvian. These are her words:-


I'm Rita from Latvia living and creating in a small village next to the Baltic sea.

As far, as I can remember, I have always been busy creating with every material I got in my hands. But my greatest love goes to wearable creations, especially - to all kinds of textiles and stones. It started with knitting. My mom taught me at very young age, and has never stopped. I've tried loads of different techniques and materials until now and still love to learn something new and to help others to do so, too.





Formally educated as a Germanist, I had my career as a German teacher and translator, but it crashed with the wold's economy. I still do translations, when I get any, as I can't live with my two younger children from selling my finds and creations for now and I like to translate and help people to understand each other. I teach crafts to children and adults, whenever there is somebody willing to learn. :)

I'm thankful to have found Etsy and excited about the truly international and loving community there, especially the fabulous European Street Team! 



My first on-line shop there was opened 2 years ago. For now there are 3 of them www.etsy.com/shop/alatvian www.etsy.com/shop/alatsupplies www.etsy.com/shop/alatceramics. Now I'm closing the ceramics shop and moving the rest of my ceramics to the two others, as every day on this planet has got only 24 hours and I have to set some priorities.

Many thanks to TheFeminineTouch - Her shop for featuring me in her blog and to all of you for reading about me!

Namaste

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - An Italian shop

Here we are , yet another shop from my favourite European country - Italy :) and Roma is such a lovely city , so romantic.

I bijoux dello Stregatto is the name of the shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/bijouxdellostregatto

Hi!

My name is Priscilla, I’m from Rome where I live with my husband, my daughter and my cat.

The name of my shop is “I bijoux dello Stregatto” . Probably you are asking yourself why, and who is Stregatto?
Stregatto in italian is Cheshire cat of "Alice in Wonderland". I love cats, and I think that they are really magic!

But don’t worry: I also love all other animals!

I take inspiration from everything around me. I look to the past (I love the vintage style so much!), to nature, and I think that we must listen to our mood too.

I've loved to be crafty since I was a little child.

There are so many things I like to do with my hands... but there is so little time to make them!

I love crocheting, knitting and cross stitching. 

Jewelry is my passion though.



I create and sell one of a kind or limited edition jewelry. I don’t like to make massive production: I think that every woman is unique and so must be her jewels.

I love to use crystal beads, pearls, charms, silver....and I love to experiment with new techniques. I think that there is a jewel for every mood and I can wear little earrings or enormous ones...it all depends on my mood!

I also love to collect jewelry, especially American vintage jewelry.

I am a stay at home mom and I work in the morning or late in the evening, in a smoke free space. My table is in front of the window and while I’m working I can see the trees around me.

I opened my shop on Etsy on 2008 and I love so this community so much.

I have many friends here, from every country of the world: I think that this is really exciting!

I love my work so much!

"The jewelry of the Cheshire Cat"

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Slovenia


This is such a cute shop , I can't resist promoting it as part of Euroweek 2011.



Hi! 

My name is Tina and I'm 24 years old. I live in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia where I study fashion & textile design. I also love graphic design and illustration.

I have been crafting since I was a little girl. My mom was always supporting me so I was able to try anything that I found interesting to do. It started with drawing and paper crafting then I fell in love with modelling using polymer clay... One day I decided to learn how to sew (I was "sew" lucky that my mom had a machine), and here I am - sewing and stuffing toys; I love it! 




I'm crazy about colours and I can't imagine a day without them.
I find inspiration in things that make me happy... Beautiful sunny days, shining stars, fresh snow, cute little puppies, smiles on people's faces...



FizziMizzi toys are insanely soft, each and one of them is made with enormous amounts of love and with attention to details in mind. You can choose your favorite one or you can make a custom order of toy in your favorite color, material, shape and size. In my shop you will find a perfect gift for any child or for the kid in all of us!

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Poland

This my last day !

Well it certainly has been an interesting week. We have travelled throughout Europe and visited over 20 unique shops and had a little peek into the lives of the shop owners. 

Today I'm featuring a shop from Poland - Amadeitknits - http://www.etsy.com/shop/amadeitknits


My name is Aga and I'm the person behind www.amadeitknits.etsy.com.

I'm a knitter and my adventure with yarn started when I was a little girl. I was surrounded with amazing and talented women who made magic with needles. One of them knitted some clothes for my dolls, and then I just knew I had to learn how to make such beautiful things myself. And the minute I took the needles into my hands, I was hooked.

Now I knit mostly accessories - and that's what you'll find in my shop. My recent addiction is lace shawls. I'm having lots of fun making them, and I believe every woman should have at least one. I love yarns that are so light that they seem almost weightless. For me they are the ultimate definition of small luxury:)




I blog about my projects here:
amadeitknits.blogspot.com
and tweet about the shop here:
twitter.com/AmadeitKnits

I live in Łódź (say "would you" very fast, and the sounds responding to the first six letters will give you the right pronunciation:)), Poland, a city which has always been famous for its textile industry. We call it "the city of four cultures" - Polish, Jewish, Russian and German - as it reflects our multicultural history. 



It's a fantastic source of inspiration for many artists. Our Art Academy has great departments of fashion design, textile and jewelry; our Film School gave the world many talented movie makers. We have countless architectural treasuries - small palaces and huge factories built in the 19th and early 20th century. Today these factories, once alive with the clatter of looms, have been turned into museums or shopping and entertainment centers (I highly recommend Manufaktura /www.manufaktura.com/ - a magnificent example of modern use for industrial architecture).

Recently my city has become the host of Łódź Fashion Week – hopefully one day this event will be as huge as the ones held in the fashion capitals of the world. And maybe I’ll see you there?

Friday 25 March 2011

Etsy Euroweek - A shop from Italy

Hi

Another shop to promote as part of Etsy Euroweek 2011.  This is the 2nd shop from Italy that I am featuring. I love Italy myself having worked near Milan (just outside Cuneo) for 6 months more than 30 years ago! The Italian language makes me melt , it so sultry and sexy.

Anyway , back to the shop , it's called CloudNumberNine http://www.etsy.com/shop/CloudNumberNine

This is Sylivia's story

My name is Silvia and I'm 21 years old. I live in the north of Italy, in Milan, the Fashion Capital! I really love my country and it gaves me the right inspiration for my art jewelry. I completed high school three years ago and I went up to the chemistry's university 'till I realised that I need a life without schedules and rules.

I have always done creative things since I was young, every year my mum and I make a lot of new christmas' decoration and she teach me the cross-stitching and other tecnique.



I fell in love with beads and beadwoven jewelry only few years ago, and I opened my shop to share my love for hand-stiched art with seeds beads. This is very facinating area and I want to share it all over the world!

In my shop you can find different kind of jewelry made with heart, I love every single pieces that I make, and of course I always use high quality supplies.



I also join the "Artist Aid for Japan" causes: in my shop there are some special listing, all their proceeds will go to the American Red Cross to aid the victims of the Japanese Tsunami.

My shop: www.etsy.com/shop/CloudNumberNine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CloudNumberNineHandmade
Twitter: twitter.com/CloudNineShop

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Ireland

To celebrate coming nearly to the end of my promotion of European countries I am going to cover a lovely island near the United kingdom (my own home country).

That is Ireland and a shop called Balanced - http://www.etsy.com/shop/Balanced

My name is Rachel Walsh. I am the owner/creator/maker behind balanced, jewellery and home decor. I specialize in bead-woven metal pieces, but I offer other things as well. 

I create from my home studio in Dublin, Ireland where I am inspired constantly by my surroundings. I am originally from California, US, but I have lived here in Ireland for a little over 5 years now.




Most of my items are original one of a kinds and all are lovingly hand crafted.
I have been beading/making jewellery for over ten years and I take great pride in my work.

I love and support the handmade movement, 100%.

Thanks for taking the time to learn more about me and my work!
:)

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - a shop from the Netherlands

I'm getting nearer and nearer to the end of the week when I will stop promoting European shops for Euroweek. It's been such a thrill to read all the stores , such wonderful places and shops :)

Today it's the turn of Missnatch - http://www.etsy.com/shop/missnatch


Hi crafters!

My name is Nathalia and I'm 36 years old. I was born in Bandung and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, currently residing in Deventer, the Netherlands with my lovely husband. I moved to Holland 1.5 years ago following my husband who's been here for ages.


 

Living in the new country with a new language is a bit challenging. After 3 months in Holland, which I can consider as a long break after my super busy time in my previous work, I started looking for something I could make myself. I bought a few things in local hobby shop and that's the start of my online shop at Etsy. www.etsy.com/shop/missnatch?ref=si_shop. It’s like a dream came true to have my own art & craft business. And I thank God for that.

 www.etsy.com/shop/missnatch?ref=si_shop
TWITTER: twitter.com/#!/missnatch
FLICKR: www.flickr.com/photos/missnatch
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/missNatch-my-Little-world/191170753088

I love art and games since I was a kid. LEGO was my first building block that triggered my creativity. Since those days I’ve never stopped thinking to create things. I love bright colors and cute stuffs too. My mom filled in a great part of my artistic side. She can cook, draw, craft, knit and sew. I still remember how my mom taught me to color my coloring book and glued my art homework neatly. It has to be on its place right. No wonder I’ve got good grades in most of my art classes, but not in other classes haha.

I make cake topper from polymer clay for birthdays, weddings and other festive events. I have so many cute things in my mind but I don’t have time to make those at the moment, so busy with many custom orders. My ideas come from anywhere. I sketched my ideas on my ideas book and keep on drawing with the hope that someday I will put them in my shop.

I’m happy with what I’m doing now. I’m so blessed surrounded with so many talented artists like you all. Well, hope you like my shop and this short story.

Never stop learning and keep on crafting!

SHOP:

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - Another shop from Sweden

Hi

A few more days to go in my quest to promote all 50 European countries as part of Euroweek. This morning is the turn of yet another shop from Sweden - Lottalosten http://www.etsy.com/shop/lottalosten

I'm Lotta Losten and i live in Gothenburg, Sweden.

I got in to jewelry making about six years ago. I was studying theatre and my dream had always been to work as an actress. At my school there were also art classes. The pupils there had lovely art shows and I always felt a bit jealous of them. When they made something they could keep it that way forever. When you have a play it's new every time you go on stage. I love that about theatre but I really longed for something more lasting.


All I had to work with at home was a copper wire. And a piece of chrystal from an old chandelier. I wanted to make a leaf, with veins. And maybe the chrystal could be a tiny droplet on the leaf.


And that was my first earring.


I love how copper wire can transform into anything if you use your imagiination.
The things I can do today is so much more advanced than the ones I first did. That's really beautiful to me: That process when your hands learn more and more just by doing. Imagine what I can do in ten years!


I take a lot of pride in my work and the fact that all my designs are my own. No one has taught me how to do this, it's just me, my fingers and my brain. All my jewelry is made entirely by hand and every single piece is unique.




I still love the theatre and I'm hoping that I one day can combine my love for making jewelry, my acting and maybe even photography. That would be the best job ever!



During Euro week I offer a 10% discount off all items in my Etsy shop!

Thursday 24 March 2011

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - Another shop from Hungary

I have come across another Hungarian shop during Euroweek that I want to promote. The shop is called  Fibrillaria - http://www.etsy.com/shop/Fibrillaria selling lovely handspun organic yarns - Wow , just what I need !

This is their story
Our names are Cheryl and Roland Magyar and we live on an organic farm that we call Echo Tanya in Ópusztaszer, Hungary. We process the wool of the native Hungarian Racka sheep, a lovely coarse long-wool breed that we are trying to introduce to the world of fiber artists, both within the country and abroad. For the time being, we are processing the wool of local farmers, until the day we finally are able to afford our own flock - the pasture is ready and waiting!
It is very important for us to have as minimal an impact on the environment as possible. All the fiber we process is done without the use of electricity, in essence it is done by hand - everything from washing with the water heated up on our wood stove, to picking, carding, spinning, weaving and felting. It is a beautiful event to turn a raw fleece into a work of art!

Etsy Euroweek 20110 - A day in the life of......

I am still promoting Europena Etsy shops this week as part of Euroweek.

Today we are going to look into the life of the owner of SilkStory http://www.etsy.com/shop/silkstory a shop based in Lithuania. Please take a look at the items in her shop , you'll be amazed!

Morning 8am - I wake up and that is the first thing I see – the view from my window. It’s springtime officially now, yet the view tells me that there’s still some waiting I need to do. At least it’s warm inside my flat, and thus I rush to the shower thinking that in a few month’s time I’ll see beautiful sunny mornings through my window every day.



8.30am – Coffee time. It’s time to drink a cup of coffee and think about the new day and all the things I have to do and those that I might do (if I get some time). One teaspoon of sugar, and maybe a piece of bread or a tiny sweet biscuit – that’s a combination for a good start of the day! And so in half an hour I’m ready to do some serious work. 

8.40am – Breakfast. As I said, some bread will always make a day brighter. Especially when it’s soft and fresh!  and some eggs, too. I feel much better after breakfast. 

9am – Work begins. That is my studio room, and the tools that I use (I made them myself after constant dissatisfaction with the ones I bought). I make sure I get enough light whenever I paint, so my big window always helps.

10am – Still working. Well, actually I don’t know whether I can really call it ‘work’, because I enjoy it very much and it keeps me relaxed and dreamy. I am very concentrated when I work, but at the same time, I am calm and thoughtful. I hardly ever know what my imagination will produce until I finish the painting. Let’s see what happens this time... 

11am – The painting is now coming to life. A magic lizard has inhabited the silk scarf. 


My muse. Knutas, the cat, always stays close to me when I paint so that he could witness new silk stories with his critical eye. Of course, he always brings me inspiration. 


3pm – The scarf is finished, I am ironing it and contemplating the first half of the day. I think the colours are really lovely and dreamy, and I am quite happy with my day’s work. What do you think?

3.30pm – I hang the scarf next to the window so that I could see the afternoon light playing in its crinkles... I just like the effect of light and the see-through silk. I look at it for a few minutes and imagine the summer breeze blowing into my room through an open window. I know I need to be patient, and that summer will definitely be here in two month’s time, so I smile and continue with my day’s work. 

4pm – Dinner time! I cook for my family and try and make the dinner as healthy as possible. I choose the organic products and I put some honey (which I brought from the countryside) on the table for dessert. 


Dinner table looks colourful – I do like colours in everything! They just make your life beautiful, I believe. 

4.30pm – My family is having dinner together. I really value those precious moments, which are always nice, fun (we all share a good sense of humour!) and peaceful. 

The cat seems to be hungry too. He knows where I hide his food and he tries to take some. Of course, I will give some food to him (despite the fact that he has had some already!) because, as I said, it’s family dinner and he’s a part of the family too. 

5.30pm – The evening falls upon my little town and I go for a walk to meditate and to think about the day. It’s Friday after all, and I know that the weekend starts tomorrow. I’m thinking about all the things I could do...I look for inspiration in the faces of people that I pass by, I try to absorb all the colours of the evening in this early spring. It’s a little cold, I walk faster than I would if it was summer, but my walk is nonetheless pleasant and full of ideas. There are some stories that try to get told and I keep them in my head until I reach home and then I put them on the paper. I will paint and let them inhabit new silk scarves tomorrow morning. 

Thank you for spending a day with me and my stories. Stay warm and peaceful.

Zita."


Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from France with a lot of Austrian influences

Yes , here we are , another European shop to promote as part of Euroweek 2011.

Today is the turn of Suzanne who runs an Etsy shop called enchantedhue - http://www.etsy.com/shop/enchantedhue

My name is Susanne. I was born in Vienna, Austria, moved to Boston, MA, almost 20 years ago, and spent the past 4 years in Lyon, France. My husband was born in Teheran, Iran. Quite a collection of places and cultures and languages and influences, c'est pas?

It always leaves me a bit flummoxed when asked where my home is. At heart, I will always be Viennese. I love the local dialect, the somewhat morbid humor, the charming 'Heurige' (which are small garden restaurants serving simple, authentic food and wine that has been grown in their own vineyards. Everybody has their favorite, depending on the kind of wine one likes), the history, music, and art. Every time I visit Vienna, I stroll through my favorite little hidden streets, go to the fleamarket and 'Naschmarkt' (a big open air food market), check out my favorite museums.

Boston is my second home. Our children were born there, so I have a different set of strong roots because of that. What I like about Boston is the diversity, the ease with which people interact, the creative way of driving, Victorian houses, the closeness of the ocean, the beauty of the fall foliage (which draws tourists from all over the world), the interesting history, the juxtaposition of the old and the new, the charming dialect that seems to be missing the letter 'R' in its alphabet.

Lyon fascinates me because of its wonderful architecture, the two rivers Rhone and Saone that give the city its character, the turbulent history, and the close presence of art in its many forms. Silk, fabric, wood, painting, glass, pottery, sculpture, music, light shows - you will confront at least one of them every single day just walking down the street running your errands. Then there are of course the wonderful farmers' markets and the finesse of French food and food presentation. And did I mention the wine and pastries?

All of these influence my creative process. A few of my pieces are strongly influenced by Cape Cod. I love the ocean: the ever-changing colors of the sky and the water, the sounds and smells, the sand dunes, the animals, the treasures that are swept on the beach by the waves. This necklace is an example how I translate that feeling into jewelry:



France with its sunny skies and scents of lavender and honeysuckle and soft color scheme found in nature and its elegance put me in a different mood, which can look like this


or this



I am somewhat addicted to vide greniers and brocantes (flea markets). They are wonderful places to find unusual items. My taste in decorating is eclectic, so I always come home with a piece that is slightly odd and that I might use in a way it has not been designed for. Sometimes I am lucky and stumble upon an interesting stone or pendant that inspires me to design a necklace around it, like www.etsy.com/listing/69698248/genuine-sodalite-necklace-with-african and www.etsy.com/listing/67336347/prehnite-dzi-and-howlite-necklace

Besides jewelry, I also design silk scarves. Watching the paint flow into the silk has something almost meditative about it. I mostly use the Japanese technique of Shibori, which consists of binding, stitching, clamping or a combination thereof to achieve an organic pattern. The dyes I use are mostly natural: berries, spices, tea, coffee, vegetables. They are fascinating to use, because sometimes the color turns out completely different than I thought it would, and it always amazes me how a simple thing like coffee grounds that would usually get thrown out can turn into a little piece of art! www.etsy.com/listing/37895601/twisted-tea-shibori-silk-scarf-naturally

These are my inspirations, as well as some of the talented artists here on etsy. I think it is important to share one's thoughts and creative process and techniques with others, it helps us see our own craft with different eyes and makes us discover new ways to use it!

Servus
Bonne journée
Have a great day!

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Germany

I'll finish off my day by promoting a shop on Etsy based in Germany. As you know I'm trying to promote at least 1 shop from each of the 50 European countries. 

Quite a challenge I know.

I'm finding these blog posts really interesting though, listening to how people have started off in their craft and finding a little about the countries and cultures they live in.


Anyway , back to Germany - here goes

Here's a little bit about myself:    PeriDotbyDuni - http://www.etsy.com/shop/PeriDotbyDuni

I have been crafty all my life, with a special weakness for pretty fabrics.

After graduating from business college I had a stint working for a merchant bank before landing a position in the fashion industry. My job took me to many cities in many countries and I was continuously inspired by the many beautiful fabrics and designs. About ten years later I decided I wanted to fulfill my dream of creating my own clothing, so I started my indie business and sold locally before joining Etsy last year, specialising in sleepwear and accessories made with designer and organic cottons.



Personally I love the vintage/shabby chic/cottage style and this is reflected in my clothing. I take great care in selecting fabrics and only use those from reputable manufacturers. I design and sew everything myself, photograph the items, maintain my shop site, do the marketing, packing and shipping too!

Oh, by the way, I currently live in Germany with my husband and cat Sammy.








Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Sweden

Hello there

Still busy promoting European shops on Etsy this week as part of Euroweek. In this blog posting I will be covering a shop from Sweden that sells - Vintage Scandinavian http://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageScandinavian

My name is Sheila Robinson, 

I am a painter (you can see my paintings in my other shop Eleuthera or on my website www.wix.com/mertymoo/sheilarobinsonart). I was born in London, studied Fine Art and have won several awards for my paintings including the Royal Institute of Oil painters Young Painter award. I also teach Art and Design part time at an international school, I love teaching and it gives me a good balance to the rather solitary time I spend painting and I love being able to work with teenagers from all over the world, who bring so many influences into the class.

The south of Sweden is an amazing place to live, wide open spaces, big skies and some stunning landscapes. Summer in Southern Sweden is just heaven. We have empty beaches, huge beech forests, clear lakes and abundant wildlife. It's beautiful, and very much undiscovered. We can drive over the stunning Oresund bridge and be in Copenhagen, Denmark in 40 minutes, and I can be back in London in less than 2 hours by plane. Skåne (the area we live in) has the modern bustling city of Malmö as well as beautiful old Lund, with it's stunning buildings from old bubble windowed cottages to the impressive cathedral. 

Other places I love are the Louisiana art museum ( www.louisiana.dk/dk) just a short ferry crossing from the elegant Helsingborg, or you could visit Hamlet's castle in Helsingor...or maybe you prefer to hop to the gorgeous island of Venn, home to Tycho Brahe's observatory. There really is so much to do and see here.



The idea for vintage Scandinavian is pretty straightforward...I absolutely love Scandinavian design. I used to visit Denmark and spend happy days exploring vintage shops, junk shops and markets and when I moved to Sweden 3 years ago I kept finding things I HAD to buy. I have LOTS of excuses, I need something to paint after all! 



Good design is everywhere here, and my favorite places to browse are the weekend market stalls where I look for pressed glass and interesting ceramics. Hand made and studio glass and ceramics are still flourishing here, and I love to go shopping in the many glass works in the Småland area. There are big names like Costa Boda but also small glass workshops where you can see amazing work and buy direct from the artists.So, it hasn't taken me long to have more than I need.

I love my home, and although I enjoy showing off my collections getting that Swedish style means celebrating a few perfect things in the perfect place, and something has to go. All of the items in VintageScandinavian are things I have bought for myself , and I have to argue with myself to list them! As for the paintings, well all summer I am out and about making the most of the landscapes, and all winter (and yes, they can be rather long) I am cosied up in the warm working on my still lives and shoe portraits.

I enjoy shopping on Etsy and I am thrilled about the European week. I think that one of the best things about Etsy is that it puts independent artists, artisans and craftspersons on an equal footing with larger concerns, it's great for me to have a global audience, I happily buy from shops all over the world and am happy to ship anywhere.

Thanks for being interested, or as we say here tack så mycket!

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Poland

Hi everyone

As you all know i am busy promoting Eurpean shops this week as part of Euroweek 2011. I have covered about 1/5th of Europe so far !!

Today I am promoting a shop in Poland - Martacreazioni    http://www.etsy.com/shop/martacreazioni

My name is Marta,and I'm 39 years old . I was born in Poland. As a child I liked to sew clothes for my dolls, painting and creating things with many different materials. 

After attending school I could not find work in Poland as there was a crisis. I went to Italy in search of work, and I have found the love of my life.

It was fortunate, I went to live in a beautiful seaside city with beautiful, beautiful beaches and loving people. I continued to cultivate my passions, sew, draw ... and slowly I found that customers were buying my creations. 



When I walk down the street and I see people familiar with my bags, it's a great satisfaction. I'm happy. I like clothes,when I see a fabric I already have in mind what it should be . 

My second job might be opening a store with fabrics. I have memories of entering a fabric shop with  my grandmother , I lost myself in it, the colors and scent of new fabrics. 



I have a son, he is 8 years old and when he was little he did not want me to give away my bags. He cried so and I had to sell them on the sly. Now it is great, and sometimes he helps me to draw designs of handbags. It is so funny. 

With Etsy I hope to make myself known among the wider range of customers.

Ascolta

Trascrizione foneticaDizionario - Visualizza dizionario dettagliato

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - An Icelandic shop

 As part of Euroweek 2011 I am attempting to promote as many of the european countries as possible through these blog postings. 

Today I start with a shop from Iceland - Maggadora - http://www.etsy.com/shop/Maggadora

My name is Margret St. Hafsteinsdottir and the name on my shop Maggadora, is the name my grandfather called me. That name is put together from my first name and middle name. My middle name is Steindora. Too long name to write it all :-) I use Maggadora as my artist name, but many people call me that, but some call me Margret or Magga.

If you find my name strange in some way, it is because I´m from Iceland. I live in the capital city Reykjavik and I have lived in Iceland since I was born, but have done a lot of travelling to other countries over the years. I have two sons who are both very artistic. They are 21 and 25 years old, and they are what I love the most in this world.

        


I have been creating since I was a little girl. I learned to knit when I was five and haven´t stopped since then. I also learned to crochet and sew very young. I just could not take my hands of the items my mother or my grandmother were making, so they just had to teach me. I hardly ever use any patterns when I´m knitting or crocheting, I design most things myself. My grandmother on my mother side was very talented knitter. She was blind the last years she lived, but she kept on knitting, and knitted socks and mittens for her great grandchildren. Like me, she loved to blend yarn and colors, and she often made her own patterns. She passed away several years ago, when she was 92 and I still miss her. She left me all her knitting tools and crochet hooks :-)
I have a degree in music and I have taken some courses in art, but mostly I´m self tought. I love to paint, specially with watercolors and mixed media. Perhaps I will add some prints of my painting to my on growing shop later.

In my country there are only 330,000 people living. Most of the people live in the South/West side of the country. Iceland is a quite big island, and is famous for its raw and unique nature and beauty. We have our own language, Icelandic, that is a very ancient language and only spoken by Icelanders. Most Icelandic people also speak English and many other Scandinavian languages.

I opened my Etsy shop 2 years ago, but I just started being active here last fall. I love Etsy. It is fun being here and meeting all these great people I have meet and brows through the pages, to look at all these wonderful artists and crafters who are here.

I´m also a fan of vintage and I have great collection of vintage stuff, that I just recently started offering in my shop.

My interests other than art and craft are human rights, welfare of children all over the world, science, knowledge, music and great movies.


Tuesday 22 March 2011

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Hungary

I'm learning so much from my week promoting European shops on Etsy for Euroweek.

Here is a posting from Klara who has a shop on Etsy called granatina http://www.etsy.com/shop/granatina


I'm Klara Szilagyi, an architect, who specializes in historic buildings and interior design. I am always looking for new ways into creativity. I live in the middle of Europe; that is in Budapest, Hungary. I was born and raised in Transylvania, which region’s craft traditions give me a lot of inspiration ever since.


I like working mainly with natural fibers, new and old that give me a lot of joy. I love the smell, the touch and the shine of natural materials, and I enjoy combining leftover pieces just as well as working with new ones.

I spend a lot of time on searching for the right shape, function and the right combination of materials, which fit the most the character and the beauty of a certain fabric. This results sometimes in weeks passing by just looking at the material and moving it from one corner of the room to another one, before I actually start working with it. The items I make, usually emerge and evolve during this process, which means that every piece becomes unique on its own.



In both architecture and sewing I like the simple and the functional. I believe that just a few things are enough to transform the atmosphere of a room and make it a home. It is a fact that just a few beautiful and at the same time practical items can enhance our comfort and make us feel better.

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - Another shop from the Netherlands

I am promoting European shops as my part in Euroweek that started this Monday 21st March 2011.

I have already promoted a number of shops from around Europe , Italy , Bulgaria, France, Greece etc. I have found another wonderful unusual shop from the Netherlands.Here is the story from the GreenwallNL http://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenWallNL

I'm an architect, currently living in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. During the day, I work at a small architecture office. I started my Etsy shop a couple of months ago, when I had the tenth person commenting on my lampshade. "Where did you buy that! It is so cool!". I was a frequent buyer at Etsy for four years, then I decided that I'd might give it a try to sell! I always loved it when you'd buy something and it would come from the other side of the world, with a personal note and made with love. How great is that?

At the moment, I'm selling my lampshades and GreenWall kits.


The last one is conceived from an experiment in my living room. I've tried to recreate one of the GreenWalls from Patrick Blanc. (Only 1.2 m wide...) It's still in progress, but at the moment quite stable. I rarely need to buy new plants.

I decided to make a smaller version that people could easily put on the wall and water occasionally. I think the result worked out quite well and I love to hear the positive comments from around the world. It's amazing to realize that something that I make at my dining table, ends up in US, Australia, Canada, or even Vanuatu!

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Greece

Hello, my name is Dafni and I'm 29 years old.

I have studied graphic design and illustration. I have worked as a graphic designer for many years but I love making jewelry a bit more! Now I spent most of my time on this and on my etsy shop (www.etsy.com/shop/lacravatteduchien).

I started making jewelry about 6 years ago. At first it was just composition with beads and strings, then I moved to polymer clay and finally 2 years ago I decided to take some classes and learn to work with silver. There I learned a lot of new techniques and tools. 




I ended up working with plexiglass and I love it so much! It's an interesting material to work with and when is painted it makes a 3D effect on the items. It is also very light so I can create many things that are also comfortable in the end. I have worked with metal in the past but with plexiglass I can combine jewelry making with illustration. Even though you could say it's nothing more than plastic, it really is more than that. All my items are very carefully cut and illustrated, if something goes wrong it goes straight to the bin, and every item is an one of a kind piece of art.



I grew up in Athens, Greece and to tell the truth I still live in the same house as I have done for the past 29 years! But I hope this will change soon. Don't take it the wrong way! Greece is a beautiful country! But I have to follow my love...


Kisses from Greece!!

twitter: twitter.com/DafniCrafts
facebook: www.facebook.com/index.php?lh=0689443ff9bd6ba67b079f3f2abb8455&#!/pages/La-Cr...
blog: lacravateduchien.blogspot.com/

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from France

  
I plan to promote European shops on Etsy all week. There are 50 countries in Europe, lets see if i can promote at least 1 shop from each country

 
I was born in North Carolina in the US and grew up in an old southern 'mansion' , a household that included 7 females of three generations.. and no men! In this old house where we were my grandmother, (born in the house in 1875...she's the little girl in our shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/Vintagefrenchlinens?ref=seller_info photo), and her sister, my mother and her sister and myself and my two sisters, life centered around the garden, the kitchen and the sewing room. Everyone sewed, embroidered, crocheted, knitted...and cooked.

From earliest childhood I loved fabrics..and the 'needle arts' in general.
Living in France in my 60s, now many years later, I still love beautiful textiles and making things. But when I married my Irish husband 5 years ago, and we moved to rural France to live in an old farmhouse, I found that I needed more to fill my time. I fell on the idea of buying and selling the beautiful old linen sheets, table linens and nightdresses that were traditionally part of every French bride's' trousseau' for many decades. Happily lots of these fine linens were carefully stored and have survived in remarkably good condition. While the supply is definitely limited, and the prices are steadily going up, there are still enough things available that we have, after nearly 4 years, developed a thriving business, having sold to customers in 23 different countries all over the world.
We have 'expanded' to include some vintage and antique 'decorative' items in our shop, (originally it was on that 'other' market site---you know the one!), and now here on Etsy, which, may I say, has been a real 'breathe of fresh air' for us. In less than 6 months, we feel so 'welcomed' here,...and our sales have way surpassed our expectations. We really appreciate the support for sellers and the feeling of community that Etsy provides.

To support our business, beginning in spring and throughout the summer, we spend 2 or 3 weekends a month, and occasionally a week or two at a stretch, traveling around France in our caravan following the brocante and antique fairs that are held in every corner of the country. It really is splendid fun, a sort of a giant treasure hunt seeking out 'new' old linens and charming things for our shop. We've seen parts of this beautiful country we probably would not have visited, and we have met so many delightful people. And don't get me started on the eating adventures we've had!

We look forward to at least 3 or 4 more years of continuing our business, until we can follow through with our plan to move further south to 'retirement' in a slightly warmer clime nearer the sea...but for now we are enjoying being 'Etsians' bringing beautiful French linens and antiques to our customers.

Nan and Dermot Bolger
FRENCH VINTAGE LINENS AND ANTIQUES

Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from Turkey

I plan to promote European shops on Etsy all week.There are 50 countries in Europe, lets see if I can promote at least 1 shop from each country.

Euroweek started on Monday the 21st March.


Today I'm promoting a little shop in Turkey - Bysweetmom http://www.etsy.com/shop/bysweetmom

My name is Sule, I live in Istanbul the most crowded and magnificent city of Turkey. 

I graduated from Business Administration Faculty, I am a PR professional besides having a shop on Etsy. 

Our shop name is “Bysweetmom”, inspired from our Sweet creative MOM. My sweetmom has been always so creative.When I was a child, I was watching her while she was sewing, knitting, crocheting or creating something new . She can’t sit without doing nothing and I am the daughter of my mom:) So, I love crafting since I knew my self. I am very proud of being a daughter of such a SWEETMOM! She is a creative angel, perfect mom, good friend, excellent teacher, wonderful person…I learned lots of thing from her and still learning…



We opened our shop with “my sweet mom”, my mom is not familiar with computers so I manage our shop. We are a cosy family shop! You can find original handmade shawls, ponchos, wedding bridal shrugs and accessories, scarves, cowls, gloves, hats, funky knitted apparel sets, brooches and body adornments, baby knits and home accessories in our shop! We create our designs with love and passion, every item in our shop is handmade with love and lots of care…


My beloved,creative sister Sebnem (aka “ shebbodesign” and ”pashiko” shops onEtsy ), is the person whom introduced me to Etsy. She helped me lot , I learned everything about Etsy from her, all my photos are taken by my talented sister. She is also a good crafter and knitter. 

Quick View of Woolly Goodies available on my web site

Quick View of Woolly Goodies available on my web site
Click on photo above to see detail / to purchase