Talk to Me Tuesday!

This week I am featuring “The Wonderful World of Skylar’s Candy Clips.” I love these accessoriies. They are beautifully made, and I love the way they are displayed and photographed too!  Learn more about the creator, Sherryl on her blog, (where you can conveniently enter a RaspberryKidz giveaway going on now) and go shopping at her etsy shop.

What’s behind the name “Skylar’s Candy Clips?”

Skylar's Candy Clips was named after my oldest daughter Skylar. She was almost two years old when I started making hair accessories. She called her clips "candy clips" because she thought they looked like candy.

What origingally got you started in creating your accessories?

Skylar was constantly losing or breaking her hair clips. And I was tired of spending so much money on hair clips that broke all the time. I wanted to created unique and durable hair clips that can withstand a toddler. 

What did you do before this?

I was just a stay at home mom. I left my full time job as an account executive at a cosmetics company a few months before my wedding. My husband hated my travel schedule.

What inspires your designs?

Skylar LOVES flowers. Hence the logo. Also, if you notice, a lot of the pieces in my etsy shop have names. Those are the names of little girls who've inspired me to create that piece whether it's the color, shape, etc.

Do you have a favorite item in your shop? Do your daughters? And are they the same item?

My favorite pieces right now are my Happy Flower Headbands. They are currently my best seller. The flowers are both the same and different at the same time. They can be color customized to match a dress or just a specific color that the customer has in mind. I've had a lot of happy customers who've bought them. They've certainly lived up to their name. 

I see you take requests (Delaney Butterfly Hair Clip is adorable). What was your favorite request?

The Delaney Butterfly was created for one of my favorite customers. She is a regular repeat client. My favorite request for the Delaney butterfly was from a customer who wanted funky colors. I made the butterfly in turquoise blue, hot pink and lime green to match her daughter's birthday dress. That was fun.

What is your most productive time of day? 

After 8pm when the kids go to bed. Then I brew a pot of coffee, make a mug, and go to my craftroom to do some work. Even my husband is not allowed in there unless he is helping me.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?

I'd like for it to stay small. I would love more boutiques across the country—that is why my own website is being created. I'd love to have a couple of employees helping me though!

9. What’s one thing you can’t live without?

Besides coffee? My computer! My husband got me my own Mac for Skylar's Candy Clips and all my files and pictures are stored in there.

10. Anything else you want to share?

Skylar's Candy Clips wouldn't exist without the support of all my wonderful customers. If you want a little glimpse of the world behind the shop, visit my blog at www.skylarsclips.blogspot.com. I have met some very wonderful people through my blog and I just can't help but feel so very lucky. 

And the Winner Is....

Jillian!

Here is a picture of my daughter picking the winning name. She's (appropriately) already dressed in her Halloween costume (she slept in it last night too).

Jillian won the Halloween Giveaway. She can have one of her little goblin's Halloween pictures turned into a professional, color, matted picture to hang up every Halloween. I will post the transformation here when it is complete.

Everyone who entered can get 10% off a Halloween Raspberry based on their little monster's drawing—good until October 31.

Under the Influence-Week 4

I was a little nervous that the Jackson Pollock class wouldn't take up the entire hour. I didn't know if the kids would just splatter on some paint and be done. But I had nothing to worry about.

We started out the class talking about Pollock and looking at some of his pieces. We also viewed some images of him at work. The kids saw how he bent over unstretched canvas on the ground, while holding on to a big can of paint. I then did a mini demonstration, using a small art board, a cup of paint and a paintbrush. The kids developed their own style, some standing, some sitting, all finding their perfect splat. And they worked on their pictures for a long time, layering the colors and building texture. 

We put the titles on the back. I love when the kids come up with titles for their work like "Rainbow Spring," "The Colorful Craze" and "Circle of the Splat." Hope you like them!

Talk to Me Tuesday!

This week I interviewed Youniquelyours. I love the name of her shop. It really is a perfect match to her items and how she serves her customers.

Please give us a little background of you as an artist.

As long as I can remember, I have been making handmade cards, putting scrapbooks together, and making blankets! I Could never find exactly what I wanted to send, so I started making things myself! I love the idea of having unique gifts that are versatile, classic, yet unique! Crafting and sewing refresh me, and give me a sense of accomplishment after a long, rewarding day of being a SAHM! 

Does your shop have a “mission statement?” If not, what do you think one would be?

When thinking about my products and why I do what I do, I always come back to the fact that serving people and making them feel like the most important person is my ultimate goal. I am not flashy at all, but rather classic, simple, and functional. My mission is to make “every day gifts with a touch of “YOUnique!” And passing along those gifts that people keep forever with a lasting memory!

When did you start your craft?

I have been crafting since I was a young teenager, exploring, trying new things and teaching myself along the way. You don't know if you can do something if you don't try and I am a true believer in that! I never stop learning and trying something!

What are 3 words that describe you and/or your shop? 

Whether you were to ask my family, friends, or myself what 3 words would best describe me, I am confident they would all answer the same way: passionate, loyal, and encouraging! My shop and all my work 100% reflects these. I am loyal about serving people and my mission to make them feel like most unique and special person that they are, passionate about my crafting, sewing, and people, and I value encouraging because people thrive off of a special word or something that extends the message that they are important enough to stop and think about! 

Who or what inspires you? 

I think my kids inspire me the most! They push me to love more, serve more, and think more creatively!

What time of day are you most productive?

I would love to be most productive in the morning, but Pre-school and park district classes take up that time. So I escape off at night to rejuvenate myself in between QT with my hubby!

What is your favorite item in your shop right now? 

May favorite things in my shop are my blankets, especially the ones I have made in honor of my kids. They are central to my husband and me, and my business. I take them to the fabric stores with me and they pile the cart high with fabric. That way I know it is " KID APPROVED!" I strive for that stamp of approval! I chose one piece of cut fabric for each of my kids that most reflected them, and dedicated a blanket to them, in their name. I also love my cards, as they are practical and classic! 

What is one thing you can't live without? 

I could never live without my family and husband! Oh yeah...and the homemade blizzards (chocolate ice cream with peanut butter and waffle cone!) We are a homemade kind of family!

Where do you see yourself/your art/your business in 5 years? 

I just hope to be doing what I love and loving what I do, and that is crafting and sewing. Realistically, I would have established myself some more and have a regular flow of business. Ideally, I would love to have a cute little store front with a “YOUniquelyyours” sign outside and have people walk in to a comfortable, affordable, inspirational boutique they could connect with and see things they feel they could touch another's life with! (All while eating some free baked goods...I love to bake as well!)Then my mission would be accomplished!

Anything else you would like to share?

I have a website: www.yours2give.com

a blog: www.youniquelyyours.blogspot.com and 

my etsy shop: www.youniquelyours.etsy.com

Boo! Halloween Giveaway!

It being October and time for another giveaway, I thought I'd do a Halloween giveaway. However, I don't have any Halloween pictures in my shop. So, what to do? Simple: to enter, just post on my blog why you love (or don't love) Halloween before Friday, October 9. 

One winner will be randomly chosen, and that person can get their little goblin's Halloween picture turned into Raspberry art for free. What a unique Halloween decoration you will have—to be able to hang every year for the holiday. Everyone who enters will get 10% off a Halloween Raspberry based on their little monster's drawing—good until October 31.

Happy Halloween!

Under the Influence-Week 3

This week we learned about Seurat. The kids saw "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte" and learned about Pointillism. Last week they mixed paints before they used them. This time, I encouraged them to try to create different colors on their actual paintings, as Seurat did by placing tiny dots close enough to each other to "fool" the eye. The kids created their dots by finger painting.

I will most likely be posting their work on Thursdays (instead of Wednesdays) from now on, in order to give my Talk to Me Tuesday feature one more day in the spotlight. 

Talk to Me Tuesday!

I found Cut N Glue on Etsy. She has a great shop, and I just LOVE her collages. She's my Tuesday feature, so check her out!

Please give us a little background of you as an artist.

I have been artistic my whole life. As a child I could be found sitting quietly in my room coloring in my coloring books, cutting bits of paper and gluing them to things, or designing clothes for my Barbie dolls with scraps of fabric from my mom's sewing projects. I majored in Art in college and have a minor in Crafts. I think I am the only person who actually DID take a class in basket weaving (not under water though as the old joke goes)

What materials do you use for your collages?

I use magazine pages, cardboard boxes, and anything else that I would otherwise have to throw in the trash. Even though I will be the first to admit I am not a "tree hugger" I am just trying to do my bit to help the environment. I know there is so much more I could do but my art work is my first tiny step.

How long does it take you complete a piece? 

If I sat down and just did one straight through I could do it in about 7 to 10 hours. I normally take about 3 days to do one. My back starts to hurt if I sit too long. I have to move around a good bit.

Who or what inspires you? 

I had this set of Sesame Street books when I was a child. There was this little town made of boxes and construction paper. I always wanted to make that town. Now, I am doing that in 2-D. One day I will make a 3-D town. That is my goal. I am also inspired by Folk Art. Being from the Mississippi Delta, there is a ton of Folk Art around here. I have always admired it.

What time of day are you most productive? 

I work days, so I am mostly creative at night. My most creative day of the week is Thursday. I work 6 days a week in a restaurant and Thursday is my day off. I like to spend Thursday being creative.

Your pieces have so much energy. Do you listen to music while creating them? If so, what? 

Yes, I am either listening to my husband (Aubrey Holman) who is a singer/songwriter playing guitar or listening to Pandora. I love the diversity of Pandora. I discover so many great artists I would have never heard of if not for Pandora. My new favorite band is called "Iron and Wine." I also love Amos Lee.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now? 

I have 3 pieces I love. Main Street, which is only available in print now (the original is in France), Downtown, which is also only available in print (the original is in Texas), and Square Dance (the original is still available and is currently on my dining room wall)

What is one thing you can't live without? 

I would say my husband is the one thing I can not live without. We are like two peas in a pod.

Where do you see yourself/your art/your business in 5 years? 

I just hope I am stillbeing creative and productive. I do not have a huge business plan. I once had a very successful pottery business. I stayed so busy with it, the joy of the process was taken from me. I just hope to never lose my joy in my art again. The day I stop having fun with it, I will have to quit. For the first time in my life, I am creating for the love of the art and not the love of the money. Sure, I love it when I make a sale, but I am just enjoying myself right now.

Anything else you would like to share? 

I just want to tell everyone to stay true to yourself always. Find the joy in your art, craft, or hobby. We all go through slumpsand that is okay. If you do not feel creative one day, one month, or one year, it will come back to you. I think it just runs through our veins. Sometimes my creativity comes out in a meal I make, or the way I dress, or a post on my blog. It doesn't always come out as a piece of art.