Interview with TeakaMarie

 

If you hang out on Etsy, you probably have seen the gorgeous clothes of etsy shop Teaka Marie gracing the front page of etsy or in various treasuries. Her photos and style is top notch and I am so excited to share some more information about her with you today. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started.
My name is Teaka and you can find me over at my Etsy shop, Teaka Marie. I love my shop as it’s a way for me to sell my garments that I’ve designed, drafted and sewn up.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?!
Aside from my life sewing for my Etsy shop I also have a job a church in my city. I love my job and the people I work with and get to meet. Sewing does take up a lot of my time however I love to read about historical figures, enjoying baking and having people over when time permits. I’m also married to a great guy so when we can, we love to watch movies together and enjoy each other’s company.

Where does your inspiration come from?
I’m a prairie farm girl. So, a lot of my designs and photo shoot locations tend to take on a more vintage, somewhat prairie feel. It’s tempting to try new modern styles however I try to stay consistent with my designs as in the end that’s the look I love most.

What does handmade mean to you?
I suppose handmade to me is an object created by individuals that either from a job or a hobby create something out of nothing. Handmade items tend to be unique and often quantities are limited due to the amount of love, time and resources that go into them.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?
Many years back an older brother of mine needed to find a project to work on in his high school shop class. I don’t remember how it ended up coming about but I drew him a sketch of this silly night stand that had these curvy tall legs and a cage style store unite. With only a little doodle he was able to create for me a beautiful 100% unique nightstand for my bedroom. 10 years later I still have it and use it by my bed. It was a funny design however I cherish it because of the amount of time that went into it. It actually means a lot to me.

How do you get out of your creative ruts?
I don’t think I’ve figured out a solution for this yet. I think time is the only thing that solves that for me. After a new batch of garments are design and sewn up I tend to step back from designing and just sew orders until things quiet down in my shop. This gives me time to recuperate and get back to normal.

Where do you see yourself and your business in a few years?
I’d love to have my own officially website, be able to take on more custom orders, and dabble a bit more into the wedding gown scene.

What is the best and worst thing about being an artisan?
Best- Having an idea in your head and seeing it come to life.
Worst- Never having a break from your designs. It’s typically always on my mind along with a constant feeling that I should be sewing something instead of relaxing.

What advice would you give to other artisans trying to sell their wares?
It takes time to get your product and name out there. Especially with an ocean of artists and products, you have to be constantly promoting yourself, asking for advice, acting on it and renewing what you’re doing. Being able to make a product is one thing, learning to sell it is a completely different thing. This is something I’m still trying to learn.

What is the most popular item you sell?
Last spring I made a simple, white peter pan collar blouse. I never thought it would sell, I more or less made it so it would help create the look I wanted for a photo shoot. In the end I’ve sold more of that blouse than any other item. It’s so hard for me to know what will sell and what wont. 

What are your top five books, movies, musicians and websites?
How about I get you one of each, five is a lot. Haha!
Books- The Gown of Glory by Agnes Sligh Turnbull.
Movie- Gone with the Wind
Musicians- The Civil Wars
Websites- Etsy

Where can we find you online and off?
You can find me either at my shop, www.teakamarie.etsy.com 

or my blog www.lifelikehoney.ca

Cyber Monday Etsy Sale!

Happy Holidays!

I don't know about all of you but I am finally starting to wake up from the butter induced coma I put myself into these last few days. I actually ate a vegetable tonight that wasn't soaking in some sort of sauce and my body is overjoyed.

With the over-eating Thanksgiving bender comes some great deals on holiday shopping and my etsy store is no exception! Right now I am having a 20% off sale to celebrate Cyber Monday and the fact that there are only 24 days until Christmas (and 22 days until my birthday!)

Spread some joy this year by giving handmade jewelry that is made with love from a really nice, cool lady in Atlanta, Georgia. I am always happy to customize lengths, gemstones and add-on initials to my items to truly make the gift one-of-a-kind. I have a lot of new jewelry gift sets in stock as well as plenty of turquoise jewelry, perfect for those December babies like me!

Also, Georgia friends ... I will be at two different craft shows/holiday markets this December, so stop by in person to say hello! Find me at the Indie South Fair in Athens, GA this Saturday and Sunday (December 7 & 8th) and the Athens Artist Market the following weekend (December 14th & 15th) also in Athens, GA. If you stop by in person and mention that you are signed up for my newsletter, I will give you a 20% discount on whatever you purchase at those shows.

If you aren't able to stop by the shows, but still want to see my stuff in person, I sell at these awesome places...

Arbor Salon (1155 Mitchell Bridge Rd, Athens, GA 30606)

Agora (260 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601)

Agora Vintage (233 E. Broad St., Athens, Georgia)

Canavan (125 West Jefferson Street, Madison, Georgia

Frayed Knot (6 W State St, Savannah, GA 31401)

HomeGrown (412 Church St, Decatur, GA 30030)

Republic Salon (312 E Broad St, Athens, GA 30601)

Wild Oats and Billy Goats (112 E Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030)

I hope you enjoy your December and your holiday season. The 20% off sale in my etsy store ends on December 9th!!

Also, check out my facebook page to get the first look at new designs, enter giveaways and to keep in touch!

Click the banner below to be taken to my facebook page!

 ~ With Love, Ashlee ~ 

Interview with Erin McManness

Today I am really excited to get to share with you an artist that I discovered at one of the boutiques I sell at in Decatur, Georgia. Her name is Erin McManness and creates the most vivid and beautiful pieces of art.

I was instantly blown away by her use of colors and the stunning female forms she creates.

I hope you enjoy getting to know more about her as much as I did!

P.S....Click on any of the photos in this post to be taken to her etsy store!

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started.

I'm Erin, and I'm currently working towards my Masters degree in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I like rock music and drink way too much coffee. I have been an artist all of my life, but I got started on my illustration career path almost 10 years ago, when I traded in my Musical Theatre Major for a Studio Art major. I was trained as an oil painter, but now make illustrations in a lot of different media.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?!

When I'm not working on art, I'm usually baking and trying new recipes out on my boyfriend and our friends. I make a mean Scottish Shortbread, and my personal favourite is my Lemon Zucchini Bread. If it's got vegetables in it, it can't be all bad, right? I am also currently searching for a furry friend to call my sidekick.

Where does your inspiration come from?

My commercial work tends to lean over to the fashion and editorial side of illustration. I am extremely interested in fantasy, psychological space, and surrealism. The figure is my favourite thing to draw, and I am constantly inspired by it.

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade is extremely important to me. I used to create wedding jewelry, and really cherish the mark of the artist. The brides I worked with were always so thrilled to have a custom piece for their special day - and an heirloom for years to come. I am involved in a local co-op in Decatur, HomeGrown, where we sell only handmade art, and I shop exclusively online and in local stores and small businesses for gifts. It means so much to me when others value my work, and I've taken the pledge to never go to the mall at Christmas again! I want to give my support to people just like me.

How would you describe your creative process?

My creative process almost always involves coffee. I currently have a great worktable in my sunny studio, where I like to jam out and focus on a number of different projects. As a freelancer, I often have multiple projects at once, and often find it helpful that I can keep my mind and eyes fresh by working on all types of work - from an illustrated fashion book, to apparel designs, to a 10 foot banner for a gaming convention. I love the variety!

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

My boyfriend is also an illustrator and screen-printer, and he always makes me little drawings. I don't think he realizes just how much I love them! I keep them all around my apartment, and tack them to my inspiration board and refrigerator.

How do you get out of your creative ruts?

When I'm in a creative rut, I always go back to this quote, "Winners just get shit done." Especially in graduate school, it's difficult to sort yourself out of a creative rut - you're not really allowed to have them at SCAD! While it's really intense work, I am grateful for the hustle-attitude. If I really need a break, I'll go out and grab a smoothie and listen to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack really loudly in my headphones, have a zen moment, and then get back to it. I try to push myself in times of creative exhaust - sometimes you get your best ideas when you think you're out of ideas!

Where do you see yourself and your business in a few years?

I have been feeling a sense of anticipation for the past year that my business is about to reach the end of its latest plateau and begin climbing up to the next level again. My goal for the New Year is to start it off with an agent and take my freelance up to the next level. In the next few years I'd like to be working on large-scale commercial illustrations and continue my financial stability of paying my bills with my art work!

What is the best and worst thing about being an artisan?

The best thing is seeing someone wearing your work on the street, or seeing your work in print. Yesterday I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a lady wearing one of my necklaces. I wasn't able to catch her to say hello, but that warm fuzzy feeling stayed with me the whole day. Second best is the schedule and freedom. I have almost complete flexibility in my schedule and get to tackle projects that really excite and inspire me! But on the flip side, working for yourself - and working as a creative - often means putting in a ton of hours (and not always getting paid for them). Most weeks I work 60-70 hours and barely leave my desk. I find, though, that coffee with friends or taking a jog will refresh my eyes and my mind, though!

What advice would you give to other artisans trying to sell their wares?

My professor has a saying, "Go as fast as you can for as long as you can while the fire is hot." To be successful artist is to adopt a lifestyle, and the lifestyle is going to require a lot of time, energy, and personal investment. The lucky thing though, is that if you truly love what you do, these things come as a natural inclination to grow.

What is the most popular item you sell?

Since we're in Atlanta, my most popular print is Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead. This past Spring I had sent his agency 2 prints as a thank you for the inspiration the show has given me -- I was shocked to have them sent back to me signed by Andrew Lincoln himself! One says "Big Zombie Love" and the other says "Best Wishes from the Zombie Apocalypse". It was the coolest thing EVER.

What are your top five books, movies, musicians and websites?

Favourite Books are the Game of Thrones series. I am a huge fan!

My favourite movies are all "guy" movies: Braveheart, Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones... I also love watching old black and white samurai movies with my boyfriend. And I have a big soft spot for Miyazaki (doesn't every illustrator?)

As for music, my favourites include Dave Matthews Band and The Black Keys. I was a Musical Theatre major, so I also love operas and shows like Les Miserables, RENT, Phantom of the Opera, etc.

Where can we find you online and off?

Website: http://erinmcmanness.com/

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MiribirdIllustrates

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinmcmannessillustration

Instagram: http://instagram.com/miribirdillustrates

Offline, my work can be found at Homegrown Boutique in Decatur, and very soon at HodgePodge Coffeeshop and Gallery in East Atlanta.

Thank you so much Erin for taking the time to let us get to know you better! Please be sure to check her out online or stop by Homegrown Boutique if you are in Atlanta!

~ With Love, Ashlee ~

Handmade 365

At the beginning of October, I read about a project started by The Tales of Ted and Agnes blog.

To put it simply, the idea is to wear a handmade item everyday for a year and take a photo of it. It can be a scarf knit by your grandmother, a dress made by your extra crafty friend or a little piece of shine you created for yourself.

I figured that since I spend all day every day making handmade stuff....this project has got to be a piece of cake, right?! Right?

Well...taking a photo of myself wearing a pair of my handmade jewels has been a little bit less consistant than I hoped for, but they say that it takes 3 months to build a habit so hopefully I will be able to get this down soon. I have really enjoyed wearing a new item everyday though that I made. It has made me wear a variety of items, not just my old standbys (even though I create mounds of jewelry, I still wear the same five things over and over and over again).

I've been at it for about a week now and have seven days of photos to share with you. I thought each week I would do a recap on the blog, but be sure to check out my instagram or facebook page if you want to see the photos each day.

/Day 1\

Rose gold Swarovski crystals with 14K rose gold filled earwires. Super sparkly and don't you just love the rose gold trend right now? Not available yet in my etsy store, but by the end of the week they will be all photographed and in stock.

/Day 2\

Vintage czech glass jewels with vintage gold plated hammered drops. These are deceptively light and I have them available in a few colors and wear them so often. These are one of my new favorites in my current rotation. Available in my etsy store here.

/Day 3\

One of the first pair of earrings I ever made for myself and my absolute favorite. These have light blue Peruvian opals which have been wire-wrapped in 14K gold and hang from thin, light earwires. These are the only ones available and they are all mine!

/Day 4\

I made these just last week while playing around with some splashes of color. These are vintage brass dangles which have been hand painted with coral on top and fuchsia on the bottom. The ear wires are antiqued brass, so it has the mixed metal and color block trend going on. Available in my etsy store here.

/Day 5\

Sometimes it is best to keep these simple. This is one of those necklaces. Simple, sweet and perfect for everyday wear. A bright sparrow and 14K gold. Available in my etsy store here.

/Day 6\

  

I liked this necklace so much that I wore it two days in a row, messing up my goal of wearing a different item for each day of this project. That is how much I like it. The lotus flower is stamped into the sterling silver and the contrast with the oxidized metal and bright sterling really highlights the design. The chain and pendant are both sterling silver. Available in my etsy store here. 

/Day 7\

 I am really loving gold lately. I never really liked gold jewelry growing up and never thought that I would wear gold. Now....it is what I wear 90% of the time. I love the warmth of the color, I love how it looks on my skin and it really goes well with colors. These earrings have vintage lucite beads in a coral hue with the same gold plated hammered pendants that I wore a few days earlier. I am a creature of habit, what can I say? Available in my etsy store here.

So that about wraps up my first week into the project. I am really loving this idea and am going to try my hardest to stick to it. I think that it will help me grow as a jeweler as well as I get to create fun new pieces more often.

Have a great night everyone!

PS....I am having a 20% off everything sale in my etsy store, so all the pieces above aren't priced any higher than $20.80. Woohoo!

~ With Love, Ashlee ~ 

Five Things

{five things I have a passion for}
1. My husband. He is the central thing in my life and I always want to show him how much he means to me.
2. Learning about history. I really love listening to podcasts and reading books to get a broader knowledge on all the random things that have occurred throughout time.
3. Teaching. Perhaps it's because I'm bossy but I love showing people what to do.
4. My puppy dog. Duh.

5. Yarn. Knitting. Anything involving yarn or knitting. 

{five things I'd like to do before I die}
1. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro has been on my bucket list since I watched an IMAX movie about it in the 10th grade.
2. Buy/own/wear a pair of leather pants that look really amazing on (a teensy bit shallow but gosh darn it...I want it).
3. Make babies!!
4. Backpack through Europe and doing all the stereotypical touristy things like pretending to hold up the leaning tower of Pisa and being sung to in a boat by an Italian man in a striped shirt.   
5. I want to run the Easter Island marathon.

{five books or magazines I've read lately}
1. Winger by Andrew Smith
2. The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
3. The Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
5. The Fault In Our Stars by John Greene

{five favorite movies}
1. Donnie Darko
2. Grease
3. Life Is Beautiful
4. Steel Magnolias
5. Charlie Bartlett

{five places I'd love to travel to}
1. India is my number one destination right now. 
2. Masaii Mara Wildlife Reserve in Kenya
3. All over Italy
4. Costa Rica
5. I really want to take my husband all along the west coast to where my family is from. He has never seen the redwoods or the beauty of Oregon and Washington.

{five things I say alot}
1. 'I do what I want.' This is usually given as a sassy explanation to my husband about why I didn't do a chore or task like I said I would earlier.
2. 'Who do you think we are? The Rockefellers?' This is something that I picked up from my mom and once again, is said in a sassy voice whenever we talk about finances.
3. I sigh a lot. Loudly and probably at inappropriate times. It's just a form of stress relief but it's kind of a ridiculous habit.
4. 'Who's got a big stick?' No weirdo...I don't say this to my husband but rather my puppy dog whenever he finds a stick in the backyard to play with.
5. 'I can't hear you.' My husband seems to always want to talk whenever I am brushing my teeth, doing dishes, washing my face, etc. I have my head near running water and he decides to talk to me about something from the other room. It happens without fail.

{five blogs I love} 
1. The Other Juliette. Such a funny and witty lady. If I could pick any blogger who I would be BFF's with, it would be with this gal (said in a completely normal and non-stalkerish sort of way).
2. It's Kayla Layla. So this lady has only been blogging for like a month, maybe two but she is already one of the sassiest, funniest ladies around.
3. Kisses and Croissants. If you have ever had the dream of going abroad, falling in love with a frenchman, marrying said frenchman and then moving to France permanently - read this blog. This girl did it and writes about being an American in France and all the fun things that come with marrying someone from a different culture/background/language.
4. Nat the Fat Rat (now Hey Natalie Jean). She is a blogging goddess and made the cutest baby in the world. I love me some Huck!
5. Hubby Jack's Blog Attack! The only male blogger that I read and the only one I will ever need. Think of Jim from the Office, and a little bit more attitude and you have Jack.

Find me on instagram, facebook, pinterest and twitter. Because I am cool like that.

 

~ With Love, Ashlee ~