Today's Friday Feature is all about the kiddos....and cool things for kids! We are featuring Kristen from "Very KIKI" on Etsy.com. Kristen has a shop that makes you wish you had little munchkins, if you don't. Her children's clothing line is so fun and very cool!
Without further ado, let's hear more about Kristen and her shop:
TDB: When did you first start making kid’s clothing, and why?
Kristen: I started making kid’s clothing a little over a year ago. I began by making gifts for family members. One day I put a few items on Etsy to see how they would sell and people seemed to like what I was making so it really just took off from there.
TDB: What inspires you to create?
Kristen: It changes all the time. Sometimes random ideas pop into my head. Other times I’ll come across a fabric I’ve never seen before and I can’t stop thinking about it until I make something with it.
TDB: When you’re not creating, what are you doing?
Kristen: I’m a Middle School Social Studies teacher by day and I run my Etsy shop evenings and weekends. If I have any free time I usually spend it with friends and family. I also can usually be found watching baseball, reading sewing books, drinking coffee, and walking my dog.
TDB: If you had three wishes, what would they be?
Kristen: 1. Good health for my family and friends.
2. For veryKIKI to turn into a full time business.
3. To be able to eat all the cake I want without gaining weight!
TDB: To what do you think you can attribute your Etsy success? (Besides of course, your gorgeous products!)
Kristen: I think that I’m offering a quality product at a reasonable price. Also, pictures are key. People can’t hold your product in their hands so you have to represent it as clearly as possible in your pictures. I find that my pictures come out best when I take them near a sunny window.
TDB: What are three random things about you that people might not know.
Kristen: 1. I like hard-boiled eggs in my salad.
2. I love getting up early in the morning.
3. I am obsessed with ironing every article of clothing that I have.
TDB: What is your best-selling item?
Kristen: The owl and the necktie are definitely the most popular.
Now for the fun part. Kristen has generously offered to give away any one item from her shop! If you want to enter to win, here's what you need to do:
1. Go visit "Very KIKI", then come back here and leave a comment about your favorite item from Kristen's shop. Please make sure you leave a VALID email address with your comment.
2. Earn an extra entry by Twittering about the giveaway. Please Twitter to @dwntownboutique. Come back here and leave a separate comment about your Twitter.
3. Earn another extra entry by blogging about the giveaway. Please leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.
This giveaway is open worldwide. Deadline to enter is Thursday, May 14th at 11:59 PST. We will announce the winner at some point on Friday the 15th. Don't forget to leave that email address!!!
Have a great weekend, and Happy Mothers' Day to all you wonderful, wonderful moms out there!
Angie
Friday, May 8, 2009
Friday Feature No. 39 -- Featuring Very KIKI
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday Feature No. 32 -- Featuring Chick 9 Clothing
Happy Friday, and Happy Halloween! I hope you're doing well today. We're finally getting some moisture in the SF Bay Area...it's been a long time coming!!!
Congratulations to Michelle, who was randomly selected as the winner of the two 8x10 prints of her choice from Nesta Home. Michelle happened to find us here, because I featured her Etsy shop over there on the right hand side...her shop is Yoopers.
Today, we're featuring Krysta from Chick 9 Clothing...a company specializing in athletic themed clothing for girls. "Did you know that girls who play sports do better at math and science, as well as having better body images and self esteem?" Hmmm...maybe I should have played sports!!! I was/am horrible at math!
Here's a little more about Krysta and Chick 9 Clothing.
TDB: Please tell us a little about Chick 9 Clothing
Krysta: I started Chick 9 Clothing because I found it nearly impossible to find cute sports themed clothes for girls and I think it is so important to encourage girls to play sports. I have played sports my whole life, including playing volleyball in college, and I think a lot of my successes can be traced back to what I learned from being an athlete and teammate. Now that my friends and former teammates are starting to have their own kids, I really think it is important to make sure that girls feel encouraged to get started playing sports. When I was writing my undergraduate thesis on how participation in sports affects the self-esteem and body-image of high school girls I learned that playing sports also helps girls do better in math and science.
TDB: What is the one thing in life you are most passionate about and why?
Krysta: Besides sports, I am most passionate about travel! I am fearless in my travel plans and I am always willing to go somewhere new. I love learning new languages, trying new food, and just absorbing new cultures! Besides traveling throughout the western United States, I have lived in Ireland and the Czech Republic and traveled to Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria, Mexico, and Venezuela. I think my next trip will either be to Norway to see family, or to somewhere new in South America.
TDB: What is one dream that you have, and how do you plan on making it come true?
Krysta: I have lots of dreams! But right now I am focusing on making Chick 9 Clothing as successful as possible in hopes of one day being able to quit my day job. I like my day job (I work for a textbook company) but I LOVE working on stuff for Chick 9! I can sit at my desk for hours on end designing new shirts and I won't even notice that time has passed. I wish my day job was the same way! So I am starting to do as much research as I can and lay all the ground work before I make the leap to full time.
TDB: What is your typical day like?
Krysta: I have a Shiba Inu puppy, Lola, who needs constant exercise so I am usually up by 6 am at the latest to take her on a run. Then I work at least 8 hours at my day job, come home, run again, make dinner or go out with friends, and then I spend a few hours a night working on shirts to ship, coming up with new designs, writing on my blog, or thinking of ways to promote my store without spending money! If I am really busy with Chick 9 stuff, my mom will usually come over on the weekends or one night a week to help me prepare the shirts and get orders ready to ship. My parents are my biggest supporters and have sold a lot of my stuff to their friends and coworkers! Right now I am actually getting ready for my first trunk show, so I am putting in more time making shirts than normal! Luckily one of my best friends has agreed to work at the show with me...partly for moral support and partly to keep me from spending all my money at other people's booths!
TDB: Please share with us a little about your family.
Krysta: I am very very close to my family! My parents live about half an hour away so I see them at least once a week depending on our schedules. They are both former college athletes and coaches, so they can easily relate to why this is so important to me. My parents have always been so supportive of everything I have done and always encouraged me in my sports when I was younger...they would have made great customers! I'm single, no kids yet, but I do have my adorable dog and one cat. They are my fur babies!
TDB: If you could teach anything, what would you teach?
Krysta: Well, I coached volleyball for a long time, so maybe I will go back to that someday when I have free time. I had planned on getting my masters in education to teach high school social studies, but my life took a different turn and I ended up doing my MBA instead. So maybe I could teach some business classes. I have also taught ESL to kids and adults and I will probably get back into that soon, even if it is just helping teach my mom's ESL classes. I come from a long line of teachers...it is our family business! Really, I would prefer to go back to school and get a masters in political science or history. I love taking classes...I am a total nerd and proud of it!
TDB: Please share 3 LITTLE KNOWN facts about yourself.
Krysta:
-I must make the bed everyday or I can't go to work. I even make the beds in hotels. I'm a tad OCD. If I know the bed is not made, I will think about it all day until I can go home and make it.
-I love to grocery shop and often spend over an hour wandering around the store looking at stuff. It is one of my favorite things to do in other countries because the foods are so different. I once considered starting my own business to do other people's shopping.
-I strongly dislike birds and have a fear that I will be attacked by them. In Venezuela, I was very afraid of the parrots and I was convinced I would lose a finger to one. I didn't. My brother and I are not allowed in the lorakeet enclosure at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and got in trouble teasing the birds. Yes, I realize this does not exactly make me a good person, but the birds are aggressive there!
Have a great weekend!
Angie
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday Feature No. 30! -- Featuring Smile Moon
Congratulations to Crystal, who won her choice of block print from Little Sparrow's Nest. Thank you to Michaela Dawn for such a great giveaway!
Today, we are featuring something that is near and dear to me. I know I've gushed about this before, but I just LOVE woodworking! I took shop class as a 7th grader, and actually made a cutting board (woo-woo!), a set of salt and pepper shakers, and something that resembled a shelf, but never got hung up. I was pretty good at it, and even made a cute bear toothbrush holder when I was an adult. If I could, I would probably have a little woodshop, where hubby and I could work at it together, but I don't think our apartment managers would let us set up shop.
Anyway, today we are featuring Jeffrey, from Smile Moon on Etsy. Jeffrey is a guy with a great sense of humor, who doesn't mind last minute communications from people like me! He has been woodworking for....well, let me get on with the interview, and you'll find out more about Jeffrey...
TDB: When did you first get into woodworking, and who taught you?
Jeffrey: I first got interested in woodworking about 20 years ago, just before my oldest daughter was born. My record collection (remember LP records?) had outgrown the plywood boxes I'd slapped together when I was a kid, and I thought it'd be nice to build my own stereo cabinet. Of course, before tackling a piece like that, I decided it'd be wise to make a few "practice projects" to learn my way through. Over the next several years, I ventured to make a blanket chest, a cradle, several different artist's easels, kitchen & bathroom cabinets, bookcases, and plenty of smaller crafty things. To this day, however, I still have not made my stereo cabinet.
Most of what I've learned has been through experience (read: mistakes), but I've picked up a fair bit from reading books, watching Norm Abrams on TV, and sometimes taking the advice of a host of more experienced woodworkers along the way. I wish I'd taken high school woodshop classes when I'd had the chance. At least I've still got all 10 fingers!
TDB: I'm curious...how many children DO you have? (If you read Jeffrey's Profile in his Etsy shop, you'll understand why I asked this question.) Do you plan on teaching them woodworking?
Jeffrey: I've got six kids, ranging in age from 5 to 18. [This past summer saw us attending orientations for college and kindergarten in the same week.] They've each got their own pair of safety glasses for when I'm running tools, and they all know they're welcome to join me anytime I'm in the workshop. Some of them show more interest than others, but I rarely turn any of them away if they want to build, say, an airplane from scraps of wood and a few nails (there's a small fleet of planes in there already). I want to make them feel welcome without the pressure of forcing them to learn if they're not up for it.
TDB: What is your best selling item?
Jeffrey: At this point, it's a toss-up between the balancing wine bottle holders and the toy swords. I've only been selling on Etsy for a little more than 6 months now, but I'm definitely noticing that some items have a 'season'.
TDB: If you could teach ANYthing, what would you teach?
Jeffrey: Anything? Probably, I'd like to teach geometry and trigonometry. I'm such a math geek, but I couldn't do my woodworking without at least a basic understanding of it, and so much of what we depend on (computers, transportation) relies very heavily on math-related studies.
TDB: What is the best piece of advice you ever received (any subject)?
Jeffrey: I believe it was my father who told me that everybody's got something to teach you.
TDB: What are three of your life dreams, and have you accomplished any of them?
Jeffrey: This is tricky, because for the most part, I'm a go-with-the-flow kind of person. That said, I always wanted to fly an airship. More realistically though, I've always wanted to marry someone I love and who loves me back, and I'm glad to say I've been able to accomplish that. Beyond that, every day our kids stay healthy and out of trouble is another good one for me!
TDB: Please share three random facts about yourself.
Jeffrey: I dance like a spastic with his arms caught in the ceiling fan. I eat ice cream combinations that make my poor wife ill to think about. I have a unibrow - they're all the rage.
Alright, what little boy (or big boy for that matter!!!) wouldn't LOVE a pair of wooden swords??? Need some great Christmas gifts for some adventurous little boys? What better thing to stimulate a wonderful imagination in this world obsessed with Wii? So here's your chance to win this pair of swords AND one of Jeffrey's wooden puzzles.
To Enter:
Please visit Smile Moon and let us know what your favorite item is, OR let us know your favorite childhood toy that did NOT require batteries, but made for HOURS of fun.
For an extra entry, you can become a "Follower" of The Downtown Boutique blog. Just click on the right where it says "Follow This Blog". Please leave a separate comment to let us know you are now following our blog.
Deadline to enter is Thursday, October 23rd at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide. Please make sure you leave a VALID email address. If there is no visible email address, you will not be entered into the giveaway.
Have a great weekend, and if you get a chance, go rake up a pile of leaves and jump in it, or visit a pumpkin patch, or go pick some apples! Enjoy the Fall weather, no matter what you do. If you're in the southern hemisphere, have a gorgeous Spring day!
Angie
Friday, September 26, 2008
Friday Feature No. 27 -- Featuring Red Ruby Rose
Well, it's Friday again, and I'm posting late. I've got both of my boys sick now, and the teen even stayed home from school, even though he didn't want to. I am really hoping hubby and I don't get this cold! I really don't want it!
Have you seen what we're giving away? It's in the post just below this one...so be sure to scroll down. I'm sure you'll really like it! It's my way of saying "Thanks" to all of my great readers, sponsors, and the people I've featured who have been so wonderfully generous with their giveaways.
Speaking of features and giveaways, today we are featuring Rowena of "Red Ruby Rose", all the way from Bristol, UK! I featured Rowena's clutch purses several weeks back, in our Etsy Mini featured favorites. She was so thrilled that she wanted to be included in a Friday Feature, and wanted to do a giveaway.
Let's get to know a little more about Rowena...
TDB: At what age did you start sewing, and who taught you?
Rowena: My grandma and mum taught me how to sew but I was never any good at it. It must have lurked in the genes and blossomed in my 30's!
TDB: What's the story behind your Etsy shop name, Red Ruby Rose?
Rowena: An instant decision on signing up to Etsy - I wanted Ruby Rose but it had been taken so I added the red!
TDB: According to your shop profile, you have some other hidden talents...what are they?Rowena: Well.... I'm an illustrator and I front a rather fine indie-pop band called Santa Dog. (http://www.santa-dog.co.uk/)
TDB: What new projects are you currently working on?
Rowena: I've just launched my new range of clutches with my own fabric designs - I studied printed textiles for my degree at Edinburgh School of Art so it's lovely to come back to it.
TDB: What are your business goals for the coming year?
Rowena: Business goals? I'm afraid I don't think like that. I muddle along from week to week and never make long term plans.
TDB: Does your businesses make a living for you?
Rowena: Absolutely. I've always been of the mindset that my creative work is a lifestyle that has to sustain me - I could never work a 9-5, I'd be a square peg in a round hole.... completely unemployable.
TDB: Please share 3 random things about you, and don't be afraid to let us know any deep, dark secrets. :-)
Rowena: 3 random things,,, errrr...... I'm not a true blonde..... I'm a chocoholic...... and I adore tequila :)
Thanks for sharing your very interesting life with us Rowena. Now, for the giveaway. Rowena is giving away a $75 gift certificate for her shop!!! PLUS free worldwide shipping.
To enter: Please visit "Red Ruby Rose" and then come back here and comment about your favorite item in Rowena's shop. Your comment must have a valid email address attached to it somewhere...either in your blogger account or in the comment.
For one extra entry, you can blog about this giveaway, and leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.
Deadline to enter is Thursday, October 2nd at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.
Have a great weekend!
Angie
Friday, September 19, 2008
Friday Feature No. 26 -- Featuring Sweet Pickles Pottery
Whew! I'm getting in under the wire! In my time zone, it's still Friday, so here we go. It's been a SUPER busy week, so I apologize for the delay. My baby is turning 15 on Monday, and we are having his party tomorrow, so we've been getting ready for that.
Today, we are featuring a fun little shop called "Sweet Pickle's Pottery". I first heard of this little shop last year, when I had some Christmas banners listed, and Melanie bought one from me. She has some of the cutest pieces...harvest platters, soap dishes, Christmas ornaments, personalized birthday plates and more!
By the way, Melanie is offering 20% off on anything in her shop, if you let her know that you found her on The Downtown Boutique!!!
Let's find out a little more about Melanie.
TDB: What is the story behind your business name?
Melanie: Oh gosh! Its just silly.. My sister and I were throwing names out there.. And we both love pickles.. Dill ones.. And Dill pickles didnt sound quite as cute as sweet pickles!
TDB: When did you start creating pottery, and what got you interested in it?
Melanie: When i was younger I think I was probably around 13. My aunt got me started in ceramics.. and I've always loved it since then.
TDB: Are you currently working on any new or different projects?
Melanie: I am currently working on a Christmas line.. As well as some Thanksgiving and Halloween pieces. Also I am on playing with clay forming my own pieces. We shall see how that goes! It's kinda a work in progress! I'm not very patient, I like to have something right now to paint on!
TDB: Besides pottery, what other hidden talents to you possess?
Melanie: I love to draw and sketch I have painted murals on my childrens wall as well as for friends and family. Also I LOVE to cook. I am constantly making up new recipes.. Bless my husband's heart for being such a good sport when I do that! I would love to write a book someday as well.
TDB: What does a typical day in your life look like?
Melanie: Kids up, breakfast, off to school. Workout (when I am in the mood) then home to clean...work on projects on, as well as off etsy...dinner, then its time to start all over again the next day! Oh and usually I make a trip to my son's school once a day.. (I'm in charge of Birthday Buckets for PTA this year so there is always a delivery it seems!)
TDB: If you just found out you had one month to live, what would you do with your time?
Melanie: Probably spend it with family on a very long cruise!!
TDB: What are three random things about you? And yes, you can divulge any little secrets that you don't normally share.
Melanie: I lived in Montreal as a child and spoke fluent French. Can't speak a lick of it now! Although, my daughter is enrolled in it this year so maybe she will teach me!, My husband and I have moved 3 times in the last 6 years. And I would love to have my own Bed and Breakfast someday!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
A Winner and a Vignette
I know, it's not Friday. So, I'm a little behind on getting to things. Anybody relate? I didn't have a Friday Feature last Friday because I had no one on the calendar for it. I'd love to start filling the calendar again with some more great crafters and artists to feature. If you know of someone you'd love to see featured (including yourself), just drop me a line. I would love your help in filling up the calendar. Please keep in mind, jewelry artists are featured on the last Friday of each month. June is booked, but we're open from there!
Congratulations to "dolls123", who won the $15 Gift Certificate from Kim, over at Folk Art From The Heart. Thanks Kim, for the great interview and giveaway! Thanks to those of you who commented to enter to win.
Well, life is changing. I'm closing my Ambrosia Delights Etsy shop, I'm taking the month of July off from custom orders from the Rio Oso Designs Etsy shop, and I'm spending time with family!
My mom is FINALLY coming out for a visit! I've been married and living in CA for four years now, and she has not been able to come out to visit because she is a foster parent, and doesn't want the kids to have to go to hospice. And we haven't been able to go back there in 2-1/2 years because of finances. So I haven't seen my mom for 2-1/2 years! But now she is excited to see her new grandson (to-be), so she will be flying out here with my adopted little sister. Mom hasn't been on an airplane since 1985! Things have certainly changed a bit since then.
We're SOOO excited about them coming out! We're going to take them to see the Golden Gate Bridge, the Monterey Aquarium, the Jelly Belly Factory, and hopefully the train museum in Old Town Sacramento (love it up there!!!). I will do my best to keep up with posting and letting you see new shops featured, during that time.
Here's something fun that I think we'll try making while they're out here. These sponge toys would be fun to take to the pool, the beach, or the lake. Your kids could even have a water fight in the backyard with them! I found them on "Make and Takes", where there is a great tutorial on how to make them.
So, not only are my mom and sister coming out, but my dad is coming out later in the month to go camping with us, and with hubby's family. My best friend from church, and her family are coming too. I'm SO excited that my dad is coming! He's gone through a bad past few months, and I'm glad that he will be able to come out for a few days and just relax, and meet his new grandson. My parents ARE still married, but my dad couldn't come at the same time as my mom because of his work schedule. Regardless, I'm THRILLED!!!
Ok, want to see some pics of our little family, with the new addition? You can check out our family blog, "As For Me and My House". There are LOADS of photos of our sweet Sir C and his new little brother, Sir E. For safety reasons, I must not reveal their names. I hope you understand.
Alrighty, last but not least, here is something that I Stumbled Upon today. I thought you might like this sweet little necklace I found, called "Vignette Swallows and Parasols". You can purchase it at Paraphernalia. These are handmade in the UK.
I hope that you'll keep reading the blog this summer. I have some wonderful giveaways and reviews coming up. If you would like to send me a product to review, just email me, and I will let you know the details. If you're interested in advertising, just contact us, and we'll fill you in there too. We're DROPPING our advertising rates! SO those of you who currently advertise with us will get extra time!
I gotta run. The guys are all at our 14 year old's jujitsu class, and I have worship team practice. Can't be late!
Have a great day!
Angie
Friday, May 23, 2008
Friday Features No. 14 -- Featuring Threaded Nest
Our featured artist today is Andrea of Threaded Nest. Andrea is the mom of a teenager and a toddler (kind of like me now!), and has had an Etsy shop since the beginning of the year.
Here's a little more from Andrea:
TDB: How did you get started crafting?
Andrea: Both of my parents were artists and everyday crafters, so the idea of handmade has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. They weren't the type to buy lots of store bought toys so I had to be creative in my childhood. I'm pretty grateful now because it's taught me to be creative in my adulthood as well. I still would have liked that Easy Bake Oven though!
TDB: What is your favorite item to create?
Andrea: Custom items are my absolute favorite. I love wedding items in particular. I love building that relationship with someone as we work to get something just right. I have made some wonderful friends through custom requests. I am thrilled when I can make someone happy through my crafts.
TDB: With a teenager and now a toddler (both boys), I can totally empathize...where do you find the time to craft?
Andrea: I don't! There is never enough time. I work in bits and pieces while my daughter is happy playing. My son helps out alot. I bring my "to go" box of supplies when we go anywhere as a family so I can utilize the time in the car. I have even carried my laptop in the bathroom during my daughters bath! Balancing what makes me happy and my family life is the hardest part. You have to dedicate time to be successful but I have so many people asking for my time, you know? Lots of late nights I guess!
TDB: What is your idea of the perfect getaway?
Andrea: I think I am lucky in this regard. We have a little beach shack and just relax for a week or so every year as a family. No stress allowed. The best part for me is I get a week to work on whatever I want instead of what I need to get done for my shop or a show. This year I am bringing jewelry supplies I have been stockpiling! I cant wait.
TDB: How did you find out about Etsy?
Andrea: A magazine I think. Wow, what a world it opened up! I'm very happy there.
TDB: Tell us 3 interesting or quirky things about yourself that you might not normally disclose to a group of strangers.
Andrea:
1. I'm secretly obsessed with Johnny Depp.
2. I wont eat or drink blue things, they're just weird.
3. I teach yoga.
Okay, those were lame! Sorry, maybe I'm not that interesting or quirky! Or maybe I'm just not telling!
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Andrea has a GREAT giveaway that lends to wonderful imaginative play. She is offering to give away a Faerie Crown, and will custom make it to match a party dress or dress-up outfit for the little girl in your life. Please go and visit Andrea's shop, Threaded Nest, and check out the gorgeous and fun products that she creates.
To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment about what you would love to have if Andrea creates a Faerie Crown for the little girl in you, or for your little girl. Only one comment per person please. Be sure to leave a valid email address, so that we can get ahold of you if you are chosen as the winner. This giveaway is open worldwide. Deadline to enter is Thursday, May 29th at Midnight PST.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Friday Feature No. 13 -- Only on Saturday
Congratulations to countryhunny89, who won the $20 Amazon.com gift card. Thank you to all of you who commented and participated by blogging about the giveaway!
Once again, my Friday Feature artist/crafter fell through. They were having some major computer problems and were not able to get back to me, so I am just going to feature some of my favorite shops again.
I would love to hear about your favorite place to find handmade treasures, whether it's an Etsy shop, a website, or a brick & mortar shop. Please comment and let me know where you like to shop.
Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!
Angie
