Featured Crafter: Julie from Miss PrettyPretty

In this Featured Crafter, we hear from Julie from Miss PrettyPretty. Julie’s playhouses are incredibly imaginative, be sure to check out her store to view all her themed houses. They are customizable so your little one can have their own unique playhouse.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Julie. I am married to a really wonderful man, and we have two children, a boy who is 5 and a girl who is 4. I am an “older” mom who feels very lucky to have started a business that enables me to be at home with my kids!

Where can we find you? (website, craft shows, etc.)
You can find me at missprettypretty.etsy.com . I am too busy with my online business these days to do craft fairs, but I am definitely an arts/crafts fair veteran! I earned extra money and sometime supported myself on craft fairs for about 20 years. Back then, I made a lot of embellished clothing, denim shirts, sweatshirts, etc. All of that applique work was a good foundation for making my playhouses.
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Featured Crafter: Amy from ThePinkCamellia

In this Featured Crafter, we hear from Amy from ThePinkCamellia. Read on to hear how Amy’s Mother’s creations opened her eyes to the wonderful creative world. Amy is also offering a discount to all FreeCraftFair readers so be sure to check out her shop!

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I am a thirty-something career girl, born and raised here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Though I have a full time, very fulfilling job, I often have the need to create something. I think all of us need to find hobbies and interests outside of work, and The Pink Camellia has quickly become mine! My brother and I were raised by our Mom, a hardworking (and very talented) single Mom that always encouraged our creative pursuits. As a little girl I used to watch her sew. She was a very talented seamstress, and used to make us things to wear that would bring such lovely comments. I think that is where all of my creative juices really started flowing, sorting through my Moms “button tin”, helping cut patterns and ironing fabrics. I can remember getting sent home from school with notes from my teachers, thinking I was somehow in trouble, and wondering what I had done. When my Mom would open the letter however, it would be a compliment on a cute outfit she had made for me, my teacher wondering where she could get something similar for her own daughter! I still remember being so proud of that. My inspirations for items really all stem from things I have made for friends and family in the past. Or I might just see something sparkly one day and decide I HAVE to make something from it!
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Felted Mouse Booties with PrettyLittle

Lacey Smith of prettylittle.etsy.com was gracious enough to invite us into her Portland, Oregon home, where she shared her refined process for making unbearably cute mouse booties.

See Etsy’s handmade Blog for more info.

Handmade Nation Documentary and Book

First-time director Faythe Levine traveled across the U.S. in 2006 to document what she calls “the new wave of art, craft, and design” in America. What resulted from this journey is Handmade Nation, the much anticipated documentary and it’s accompanying book available through Amazon.
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Etsy Tips & Tricks

I recently received the following article from a fellow Mile High Etsy – Colorado team member. Jesi, www.HipViolet.Etsy.com, was previously in online marketing for a retail store. Jesi was lucky enough to get paid to go to online sales conventions and take classes in how to sell online. She has now put together this wonderful article on tips and tricks for your Etsy store. Read more