in the kitchen

This note from my youngest on our kitchen chalkboard made me crack up.

Mara Bateman etsy artist/shopkeeper interview #7

An etsy artist/shopkeeper interview with the an etsy newcomer Mara Bateman, shopkeeper of Tangible Thing. I worked with Mara shortly and found out when she was moving that she was also getting ready to open an etsy shop. Wanting to support this I said "When you're set-up if you want I will post an interview on my blog...I don't have a lot of readers but they are a super bunch"....this is what I love about blogging all the support that comes through. So Mara, good for you on putting it out there, sharing your creativity...good luck with this new adventure!
- kt

kt: I always ask the people I am interviewing to please send some photos of themselves so I can choose one for the interview. Mara sent these two and they were both so different that I thought I needed to post both. I think we all do have more than one side to us and I loved how brightly she was shining in both of these. 

kt: Mara, please introduce yourself to my readers.

Mara: My name is Mara Bateman and currently live in Corvallis, OR. I work at a locally owned restaurant called Nearly Normal’s Gonzo Cuisine and am studying for my Yoga Teaching Certification. I have spent most of my life focusing my creative energy towards performance art—specifically dance—and only recently have really begun to channel that energy toward visual art and design more strongly. I am definitely still in a learning and experimenting phrase…and probably will be for the rest of my life ☺. A general urge to create has always been part of who I am…whether its choreography for the stage, a drawing, a poem, a new dress, or a piece of jewelry, its something that makes me feel more myself.

kt: Mara what made you decide to open up an etsy store?

Mara: I opened an Esty shop for a couple of reasons…probably the number one reason was that I was briefly unemployed and suddenly had the time and energy to actually get it set up. I also moved into a place with enough space to accommodate a studio area…something that is actually pretty important for me to get anything done. My unemployment also happened to coincide with Christmas, which is another reason my Etsy shop became a reality. Every Christmas I primarily make gifts for people rather than buy them, and every year I think about how much I love making all that stuff and how I wish I had a reason to be making things all year round as much as I do as Christmas time…the perfect excuse for crafting constantly: an Etsy shop!

kt: What types of things (people, music, etc..) inspire you?
 Mara: Right now I am finding the bare, wintery landscape very inspiring —naked, black trees and dead grass and Vs of geese, or tiny birds that flicker around the feeder in the yard. I also get a lot of inspiration from the fantastical and magical or mythological. Images from more luminous realities or characters and symbols that we all recognize from the common human fairy tale are intriguing to me.

I am always inspired by people I know that are making it happen creatively—dancers, painters, seamstresses and musicians. I am in awe of people who seem to have both business savvy and a strong artistic voice.

kt: How would you describe your style (vibe) 

Mara: I would describe my style and whimsical and funky. I enjoy unexpected jewelry—making “wearable” things that we normally don’t associate with jewelry. When I was younger, a friend and I had a joke that if we liked something (anything) we would figure out a way to wear it.

kt:  Okay, I am going to end this interview with a fun and silly question. "What superpower would you have?"

Mara: If I had a superpower it would most definitely be flight. I don’t understand how any other super power could be preferable! To be free of gravity! Flight is a theme that emerges often in my art as well—there is a certain indefinable romance and poetry to flying things.

kt: Thanks Mara for taking the time out for this interview

You can find Mara's work at her etsy store Tangible Thing 
and you can find her on facebook

YES!

I am so happy to share that my dear, dear friend suzanne of sperlygirl was published in Artful blogging!!!

Suzanne introduced me to blogging about 6 years ago (is that even possible it has been that long ago that I started?) We lived in the same town in Italy for three years and then my family moved up north four hours away. But this did not slow down or interrupt our friendship. Instead we did things like start a blog together for a little bit, and we decided to do the Artist way together, support each-other with our creating dreams and where we wanted them to go. I remember Suz telling me one of her "dream big" was to be published in Artful Blogging and look here it is!!! I am smiling so big for her over here. I received my copy yesterday and brought it with me everywhere, showed everyone that I worked with, family and friends...."I know her she is one of my bestfriends!" I kept saying.
We are now in two different countries but that is not going to slow us down or interrupt our friendship and I support her dream bigs, yes I wholeheartedly support them!

new finds

I had a day off yesterday so I went treasure hunting for my shop and I found some super sweet items. Two happened to be from Italy.....you would not believe how many things in my house I have found at thrift stores that are from Italy.....seriously it is bordering on creepy:)...but I love each and every one, truly I treasure them!

snapshots of eugene #11

Finally a moment to blog! Dear blogger friends please know that I have been reading your posts(you know who you are:) I just haven't had the time to properly comment.  I think this week will open up some internet time for me, fingers crossed as I type.


I walked myself silly today doing errands packed the camera along and could not stop smiling at the flowers and color that is emerging around town. 

I noticed that the Eugene courthouse has a garden in the back. I like this!

andreacreates etsy artist/shopkeeper interview (6)

An etsy artist/shopkeeper interview with Andrea, owner of the inspiring shop andreacreates

Kt:       Please introduce yourself to my readers.

Andrea: Hello, my name is Andrea. I currently live in Ohio, but I’m  from California and I also grew up In France.

kt: What made you open an etsy shop?

Andrea:  I’ve always been creative. Drawing, painting, sewing knitting and more. I had done a few local craft shows and when I discovered etsy, I thought it would be another great way to get my projects out there. I've sold all around the world-and I think that's really cool. I have a map on the wall where I've glued buttons to all of the different places I've sold to!

kt: Oh, I love your map idea.

kt:  What types of things(people,music,etc..) inspire you?

Andrea: I find inspiration almost everywhere.
Especially movies, books & magazines. I find that I'm inspired by color a lot. I love unusual color combinations and try to remember to incorporate them into a future project.

Kt:  What do you like about having your own on-line shop?

Andrea: I love the freedom to be able work when I want. Not having to get dressed up or go anywhere when feeling inspired-just down to the studio :)

Kt: How would you describe your style (vibe)

Andrea: Having grown up in 2 different countries, I think my style has evolved into something pretty eclectic. I have a wide variety of favorite styles from modern to retro, I like to mix and match them  as much as possible. 

Kt: What symbol/ image reappears in your work a lot?


Andrea: I guess flowers appear in my work a lot. It isn’t always intentional but seems to be a common theme. They're just so pretty :)

Kt:  What are your favorite materials to use when creating?
 
Andrea: I like to incorporate unique, and if possible, vintage, buttons and trims into most of my projects. 


kt: Thank You Andrea for taking the time out to do this interview!

You can find more of Andrea at
her store: andrea creates @etsy
and 
her blog: andrea creates

finding georgia

Just as I was stressing out this morning, trying to run all my errands, get home, make a pot of soup, clean the house, laundry, and then off to work.  What shows up on the sidewalk in front of me, a few paintings that had fallen out of book, some of Georgia O'keeffe's work that I had never seen before.  

Stress gone:)

my birthday

This Birthday weekend has been great. Friday night the kids and I had dinner with my mother-in-law she made the best lemon cake and I had a few too many glasses of wine which made the kids say "Mom What in the world! You are drunk!" which made me laugh and laugh (they were right I was quite tipsy:) Not such a common occurrence because I do not drink that often.

I strolled home with our little red cart the other day from the grocery store (we do not own a car) and we live up this long hill...a neighbor I have seen along the way many times said
 "Dude I just have to tell you, you are doing a great job!" made me smile, in Eugene I am a "Dude" and the here people are very friendly.

I received the best gifts in the mail a book, beautiful Christmas ornaments and gorgeous towels for my kitchen.

I worked last night until 1:45am and the young woman I worked with kept saying "Happy Birthday!" as we listened to our music loud while cleaning.
A guy called us at 1:30 wondering if we were still open I said "No"
he replied "Dude, what are you still doing there then?!!!" this made me laugh.

My co-worker looked over at me as we were sitting in a booth rolling silverware in napkins and it was getting closer too two am. and said "Happy Birthday!" again, which made me smile and laugh, she is such fun to work with and really bringing in my 45th year this way was different but good. When I got home my son was awake we talked and laughed then when I was heading off to my room he said "Happy Birthday Mom".

I woke up to the sun filtering onto my bed. I had some wonderful emails from friends this morning and one was an incredible little duo singing "Happy Birthday!" in Italian for me. Some phone messages with wishes.

I am now heading over for a Birthday bunch with family....yes this weekend has been good to me.

finished....Be mine (lovebird series number 12)

Will you be mine? Will you meet me under the big red heart and kiss me? Let's crack it wide open and let the light in.

I have been reading this book about an artist she believes less is more. I can't help but paint more.....I guess more is more to me.

painting today

working on a painting, a red heart with two small lovebirds kissing underneath it.....it is cracking open, see the white light breaking through.... I know mine cracked wide open each time I kissed the one I loved.....I think that is why it is in so many pieces now.....don't worry, I mean this in a good way, I am fortunate that it cracked over and over again.....I don't regret this for a minute, I would rather have my heart this way then have it perfectly intact with no light shining through......does your heart crack each time you kiss the one you love.....I hope it does

more white items for shop

This next week I will have a new etsy artist interview up, YAY! 


Sharing some fun news today this special person gave me a blog award. Thank You Tracy!


I added a google translater to my side bar for those of you that might read in a different language.


A day off from work, so I have been busy taking photos for my shop. I have always loved these 1950's white milk glass vases, so when I saw them at the thrift store I filled up my basket with some. I so enjoyed setting them up for photos today. 

I am going to sell them in groups of three