TTAH RECOMMENDS: Pick for February 2008

It's been a while, but I finally refreshed TTAH Recommends. I had good reason to, too - I just picked up and read Craft, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco, and I've determined it's an absolutely essential book for any crafter. It's a very fast read, but it's filled with vital information for anyone going into the handmade business - though I consider myself to be pretty well informed on business management and I still learned a lot out of it. It's well designed, well written, and I was able to read it thoroughly in a single evening while still taking every point in. The designer interviews weren't as inspirational or exciting as I had hoped (I found myself skipping them after a while), but it was a fun and unique addition nonetheless. I highly encourage you check it out, as it's very insightful and is especially wonderful for those who are either considering starting a business or in the early years of one.

Back on Track with Some Etsy Love

Just because I was gone for a while doesn't mean I didn't find things I loved while I was away! Here's my favorite finds during my vacation time.

These Acorn Pendants from Execute Me were on Modish the other day and I absolutely fell in love with them. They're so simple, but so sweet! My favorites are the three blue colors - not surprising, considering my favorite color is, well... blue.

I love the silhouette design on this bag from Pesky Cat Designs, and the pattern on the interior fabric matches the feeling of the bag while still being really cool on its own. The colors are soft and natural, and it's quite a good bag by construction. Utility + Design = Good Stuff.

This hairpin from Red are the Roses is made from vintage plastic flower pieces, and if my love for Art School Dropout was any hint, I'm sort of addicted to those quirky old school supplies and am prone to favor almot anything made from it. The combination of the pieces makes for an extremely showy pin, and I love the feather-like piece and lace-like piece that together give the whole thing an old-time aesthetic while still being a trendy piece.

While I'll fully admit I have no clue where I'd wear this absolutely fabulous costume hat from Topsy Turvy Design - it's certainly not part of the approved corporate dress code at my FT - it's still awesome. The shape, the detail, and the craftsmanship are undeniably incredible, and I had to laugh at the draped fishing net accent on the hat, which I thought was quite witty given the theme of it all.

So... I'm Not Dead! Resolutions and Updates

So, it's been a rather lame start to the New Year for me, but I'm back. The blog has been quiet for too long, and despite the fact things are shaky within my family, I need to jumpstart this again.

I'm leaving my advertisers (all of whom have expired, I believe) up for an additional day as some of the time the blog has been quiet and therefore hasn't had as many hits. It's only fair.

Anyway, updates! I purchased the tabletop press of my dreams and we're going next weekend to pick it up. I'm bouncing off the walls. I've got stuff designed, waiting for it so I can start printing and realizing the first part of my life goals. That's my baby up there! So excited!

As to my resolutions:

1. Lose weight. Yes, it's pretty much on everyone's list but if I'm going to fit into the wedding dress I've been eyeing, I need to chuck about 20 pounds. I've already lost 2.5 pounds since I started a week ago, so I'm quite content.
2. Start the sprinkles collection I've been talking about since a food stylist told me about hers. It sounds crazy, but I love the idea of collecting random sprinkles. Or jimmies. Whatever you want to call them. I bake a lot, so it would be a practical thing to collect, and they don't really ever go bad...
3. Launch my stationery line by May 2008. I'm absolutely determined. I'd already contacted a designer to help me with some of the backend stuff, but all the family stuff going on made it hard for me to know I'd definitely be able to partner with her to get what I want, so out of respect for her, I've pushed back the website until the product is completely printed. I do have a photographer lined up to shoot it all already - he's a friend of ours that we met out here by both being in creative circles in Minneapolis. He's phenomenal, so I expect great things.

If you're interested in knowing when the line launches, email me at trythisathome @ gmail.com and I'll happily include you on my mailing list announcing the opening. Anyone on that mailing list at the time will receive a coupon code to use within the first two months.

Hope everyone is well!

Extended Break

I know I said I'd be back by now, but unfortunately I have to extend my break. On Christmas Eve morning, my grandfather passed away and I've been involved with family ever since. I'm flying back in a few days and assume I'll start everything up again soon after, but we'll see. Happy New Year in the meantime!

Designer Interview: Sarah of Sarah Ridgley Letterpress

I was taking a look at the TTAH archives, and reread the Designer Interviews from Bright Ideas Week. They were so wonderful, I've decided to make a habit of it: every Friday, I'll try to post a new interview with some of my favorite designers out there - obviously, it'll depend on their schedules as well as mine. Kicking off the new feature is the wonderful Sarah Ridgley, whose work you've seen on many blogs already, but has been kind enough to answer some of our questions with incredible insight!

Sarah Ridgley runs the lovely letterpress studio Sarah Ridgley Letterpress. She is based out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was kind enough to share with us a little bit about herself, her process, and some of her favorite things.

ABOUT SARAH
 

What does your company sell?
Letterpress cards and coasters.  I also do custom work like wedding invitations and baby announcements.

Who are your favorite visual artists or crafters?
I absolutely love Mandy of Belle and Boo. Her illustrations are delightful and they always make me smile.

What's your favorite food?
A perfect steak from Doe's Eat Place.

What's your favorite color?
Green, in all its glorious shades.

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?
Shopping at Anthropologie, I spend lots of hours and dollars there.

What's your favorite pastime?
I think my favorite thing would have to be cuddling in a blanket on the couch reading my favorite magazines (Domino, Martha Stewart Living, and Make).

Cats or dogs?
Dogs.

Pepsi or Coke?
Coke

Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate

Printed magazines or blogs?
Ohhh, I don't know. Probably printed magazines.

Where would you go if you had a plane ticket to anywhere?
Straight to India. I can't imagine a more visually stimulating place. I would love to wonder the markets and pick out amazing fabrics all day long.

If you were marooned on a deserted island, what three things would you be most desperate for?
My husband, bug spray, and my itouch with solar powered charger.

What websites are you addicted to?
Etsy, Briar Press, and Flickr.

ABOUT SARAH'S BUSINESS AND CREATIVE PROCESS

What's your creative background?
I don't really have any formal training in "creative."  I've been interested in fashion and design for as long as I can remember.  I think most of my training came from studying magazines and books to develop a sense of what appeals to me.

What made you pick up crafting in the first place, and how did you learn to do it?
After I got engaged I started researching wedding invitations.  That's when I first learned about letterpress printing.  I started reading everything I could find to learn how the process worked and what you needed to get started, thinking I could figure it out and make my own invitations.

At that time, there were lots of presses available for cheap.  I bought one in Memphis and my fiancée and I drove all night to pick it up.  It was very exciting! Unfortunately, once I started teaching myself how to use it, I realized there was no way I would be proficient enough to print my own invitations in time. I called several local printers to see if they could help me, but most of them didn't even know what letterpress printing was.

So, I was completely on my own for learning.  It was great though.  I would spend hours out in our barn mixing inks and pulling prints.

What motivated you to turn your hobby into a business?
One afternoon at work (I'm an attorney by day) I discovered a link to Etsy. I started looking at all the shops, and I thought it might be fun to see if my designs would sell.  So, I made a few cards and listed them. Once they started selling, I got hooked and decided to make my very own website.

What was your strategy for promoting yourself once you decided to start the business up, and was it effective?
I tried several different things when I first started up.  I used Google Adwords (a waste) started a little blog (fun, but very time consuming) and put pictures on Flickr (my favorite!!). I also did a little mini-campaign where I went through tons of blogs and left comments.  That way people could look up who I was and find my shop, and I wasn't too much in their face.

What are some of the lessons you've learned along the way? Is there anything you'd wished you'd known or thought of before taking the plunge?
Packaging was my biggest challenge. I had no idea what to do.  I wasted a lot of money at first trying different ideas until I finally figured out what works for me. 

Is there any particular advice you'd give someone interested in starting a crafting business, online or off?
Test your ideas on a few people (not relatives or close friends) first. I presented several card options to my coworkers before I listed anything. They were quick to tell me which ones were lame and would ruin me. *smile*  Everyone should get a little criticism before jumping in there. It only makes us better!

Are there any other people in the independent design and craft community that you look to for inspiration or whose work you really admire?
Oh yes! I love Heather Bailey and all of her fantastic patterns.  I also enjoy anything from Oh My Cavalier and Abela Bloom.  I was very excited to have Trevor (from Abela Bloom) design some Christmas cards for me this year.

Do you have any big influences outside of the crafts community that have significantly impacted your work?
I lived in London for a year after I graduated college.  After growing up in a small town in Arkansas, I was blown away by all the culture and opportunity that comes from living in a big city. I went to every museum I could find, and spent most Saturdays trolling down Portobello Road.

What's your favorite part of your design process?
My favorite part would be actually pulling the prints. It's exciting every time I get it all set up and the first perfect print comes through.

If you could pick up another craft, what would it be, and why?
I've always wanted to learn to sew.  My mom gave me her old sewing machine, but I could never figure out how to get it threaded.  I guess I use up all my patience when I print.  If I do something else, I want it to be simple.

SARAH BECOMES THE BLOGGER

What are your favorite supply sites?
Owosso Graphics - they make my printing plates.

What's your favorite supply item?
My magnesium printing plates.

What are your favorite indie companies?
Little Odd Forest, and The Shiny Squirrel.

What's your favorite purchase you've ever made in the indie community?
I love this ring. I never take it off.

Thank you again, Sarah, for your time and patience! I hope everyone finds her answers just as interesting and insightful as I did!

Off to New York: See You on 12/26!

Folks, Devon and I are off to New York to visit family - I'm originally from there; Dev's sisters live there now. We're also going to do some wedding site visiting, hence the dahlias (our primary flower for the party) which I'm sure you were all wondering about - those lovelies were shot by me last summer at the University of Minnesota Arboretum - gorgeous!

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. So we're out on the East Coast, reveling in greasy latkes (my side of the family, most of whom D gets to meet for the first time) and pre-Christmas brunches (D's sister and her new boyfriend are apparently cooking for us! Yum.). Unfortunately, computer access is expected to be worse than limited as my mother runs an EBay business and therefore has the monopoly on the computer, but I'll try to schedule a few posts until I'm back. Failing that, I'll be returning on the 26th, so it won't be terribly long before Try This at Home is online again.

A Happy and Healthy One to you all,
Maddy

Got Sheep? Maybe Not, But You'll Certainly Have Yarn...

Now, the concept of a CSA (community supported agriculture) isn't new to me - I live in Minnesota, for Pete's sake, and you learn about those within five minutes of living here since so many people participate in them - but applying them to yarn? I'd never thought about it, but it's a great idea! Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm was smart enough to come up with the concept, though, and for a pretty reasonable fee you could be a charter member with your own Yarn CSA share. If you're interested in dying yarns or just want some good ones to knit with, it's certainly an investment to look into, and at $100 a share (you can buy more than one), something worthwhile to look into! Shares can be purchased here.

I Love Letterpress, Too! (And I Definitely Love This Directory...)

It's not the first time I've been to the blog I Love Letterpress, but yesterday was the first time I really looked through their directory - as in, pretty much every link. It's phenomenal, and it's so inspiring to see all the different things people are punching out with their letterpress and leaves me utterly envious of those who have a press! ILL gets a big round of applause from me for documenting all of those letterpress companies in such an organized manner - you absolutely must check it out!

The Best of the No Coast Craft-o-Rama, Part Three

So, it took me long enough, but this is the final installment of the No Coast Craft-o-Rama review. Finally! Phew. I hope you've enjoyed and have found a bunch of new Minnesotan and regional indie talent!

Remember that these are in no particular order other than the order in which I pulled their business card out of my bag.

BUTTONPOM | Buttonpom's pleated handbags are incredibly chic and sophisticated while still being fun. I've absolutely fallen in love with this one, which is available on their Etsy site.

GERRI JO | I've already found my stocking stuffers and mini birthday gifts for the next year in Gerri Jo's cute little plastic charm necklaces. Each has its own little story, and my favorite designs are the sweet little blushing acorn (aww!) and the teapot.

BIGGIE HANDMADE GOODS | Handsewn and screenprinted, the bags at Biggie Handmade are a lot of fun. I really like that there's always a pattern on there to give it some punch, but I also appreciate the white space since too much of some of the patterns may get a little too busy. The raindrop design is probably my favorite - the color choices are great and work well together to pop.

SPONSORED FEATURE: Elephantine

I highly recommend you visit Elephantine for some of the most adorably illustrated note cards I've ever seen! If I could pinch these little guys' cheeks, I would. There's also some equally "awwwww" inspiring plushies you've got to get your hands on!