Saturday, April 9, 2011

Treasury Challenge Finalists

Congratulations to ImpossiblyAlice, Giggles, and NewHopeBeading on having the top treasuries this month! Vote for your favorite and the winner will be announced on the 16th.

It's Not to Early to Start Shopping for Mother's Day by ImpossiblyAlice

April Forest Friends by Giggles

Green Equals Earth Day by NewHopeBeading

Vote for your favorite April treasury!
It's Not Too Early by Impossibly Alice
Forest Friends by Giggles
Green Equals Earth Day by New Hope Beading
  
pollcode.com free polls

Sunday, April 3, 2011

2011 Style Inspiring Muses for This Year’s Crafts

Crafting in General
For this year I put on my thinking cap and came up with a plethora of crafts in demand. The demand for eco-minded craft supplies like naturally-sourced woods, recycled resin and metal, beeswax, and affordable natural and organic fabrics (in bold colors and prints - of course!) will increase in 2011.

Colors
Colors from nature will be the trendiest shades in 2011. This includes bright jewel tones like honeysuckle pink, rich yellow, fuchsia, deep red, plum purple, teal, and earthy tones like grey, dusty browns, natural greens and blues.


If we were to have a 2011 runway show, fabric combinations like lace and flannel would adorn the models, as well as shorter hemlines, lots of layers, and clothing with advanced details like creative and structural pleating, smocking, pleasant finishes and detailed embellishments. The top fashion style of 2011 is one that mixes the 1940’s and 1970’s with modern finishes and techniques!

2011 look books will include more symmetrical designs and vintage patterns. The types of fabrics crafters want to work with the most include comfort fabrics, high contrast prints and stretch knits.

In the world of jewelry making, material imitations using clay, fused plastic and resin are predicted to be popular in 2011. We may also see the millefiore technique making a comeback! 

Sewing, Embroidery and Quilting
In 2011, newer techniques like stitching on mixed media and free form stitching will grow in popularity as advanced needlework artisans look to take their craft to the next level. Embroiderers will take advantage of more in-the-hoop designs and a spike in the creation and use of vintage embroidery transfers. Quilters will increase the use of non-traditional embellishments and will leave us in awe with detailed art quilts, a popular activity especially amongst hip crafters.
 
Knitting and Crochet
In 2011, the types of yarn knit and crochet artisans will prefer are super soft acrylics, wool and natural yarns. Crochet techniques, such as using a double-ended hook and crochet-cables, will be trendy. Cabled knits are predicted to be a hot knitting technique in 2011.

Using layers, ephemera and inking edges to give paper and embellishments an aged and antique look is a hot trend that’ll continue in 2011. I foresee a strong growth in the creation and use of digital scrapbooking image sheets.

Fondant and decorating gels will take the cake in 2011, so to speak, for cookie, cupcake and cake decorators. Decorators will continue to advance their craft by producing highly realistic details and representations out of edible products. On the cooking side of things, the demand for locally grown food, gluten-free food and organic food and the adoption of cooking with fresh, seasonal foods will all lead to healthier crafters in 2011.

Personalized, one of a kind items will be the go-to gifts for crafters to make family and friends in 2011. Accessories for gadgets like cameras, phones, MP3 players, iPads, Android Tablets and Kindles are popular gifts for the tech-savvy crowd. For the practical crafter, reusable gifts such as quilts and small wearables like scarves, wrist warmers and hats are sensible gift options that can last a lifetime.
For the advanced crafter, giving a gift basket with handmade goodies like washcloths, potholders, cleaning supplies, food, candles, soaps, and beauty supplies is an enjoyable gift that is met with open arms. 

Sorry I couldn't fit more items in this blog, but it was so long as in is. I hope everyone learns something from my guest blog and contact me if you would like ~ ChelseaRainbow/Jacqueline Gikow

Saturday, April 2, 2011

April Treasury Challenge

Baby's First Egg Hunt Onesie by PeaPodRay
Yay! It's time for another treasury challenge! I loved seeing all the different ideas used to inspire your treasuries last month and so this month we want to encourage the same. Keeping April in mind here are some ideas straight from this month's merchandising notes. There are two big holidays this month and another one to prep for - Earth Day, Easter, and Mother's Day. The on trend topics still include spring, gardening, personalization, geometry, and woodland themes with a few new ones thrown in. Pick out your theme and enter your treasury by the end of April 8th. Then you know what happens - the vote! 

Here are the rules:
  1. Use at least 8 Lab Rat members. Try using our new member shops tab.
  2. Include "Treasury Challenge" in the title of your treasury
  3. Tag your treasury with "labratsteam"
  4. Tag your treasury with "team treasury"
  5. Tag your treasury with "april trends"
  6. Link back to this post to encourage others to participate
  7. Leave a comment on this post with a link to your treasury for official entry
  8. Promote & have fun!
Some more tips - include a variety of items with a range of prices, don't include yourself, and tag your treasuries with a few more relevant keywords. Head to the Treasury to get started or read up on how to make a treasury first. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Friday, April 1, 2011

Introducing.......

Its that time again to introduce our new members.


I am sure we have already met them in the labs but I would like to take this time to officially introduce them to the rest of the rats and I hope you all welcome them with open arms and lots of virtual hugs.

Drum roll please...................... here's our March members.

FoggyMorningSundries

Puzzle soap to benefit autism awarenessWhat is your given name?
My name is Misty.

What made you want to start an Etsy shop? 
I love making soap and needed something to do with what I made...Etsy was a perfect solution!

Which item in your shop is your favorite?
I am rather partial to my puzzle piece soap because my son has autism.  But I love my rubber ducky soap too!

Where does your shop name originate from?
My name is Misty Dawn.  Because of this, my uncle called my younger sister Foggy Morning.  I loved the way it sounds, so here I am!  :-)

HammingenHammingen

Two Alice in Wonderland ornamental wooden blocksWhat is your given name?
David Wilson

What made you want to start an Etsy shop?
As far as the real reason goes my memory doesn't quite stretch back that far. It appears that I have filled my mind with far to many other pieces of information to recall anything that happened more than a week or so ago however I can give you the reason that I continue to work on my shop to this day. In the next 6 months I am hoping to depart on a religious mission and I am attempting to gather together some extra money in order to pay my way for two years. In addition to this I enjoy the crafts which I participate in and being an etsy seller allows some of my materials to be purchased.

Which item in your shop is your favorite?
My favourite product in my store would probably be one I don't even have in my etsy shop yet. I'm working on my pencil sketch art, specifically the anatomical sketches which I love so much so keep an eye out for those which should be coming soon. For the sake of being able to put an image to this paragraph though I would have to say my 'Alice in wonderland ornamental wooden blocks (set of two). I just love the way they came out and they were a lot of fun to make.

Where does your shop name originate from?
The name of my shop really has no relation to anything in it. The name Hammingen is merely an online username which I use for every one of my accounts, hence with creating my shop when I was new to etsy I used my username as my shop name as well. Since then the name of my shop on my banner has changed to 'from the other heart', which I like to think represents the type of soft and rustic style items which I like to create.

CindyBead

Green Dragonfly Brooch
What is your given name?
Hi, My name is Cindy Warner.

What made you want to start an Etsy shop?
I was encouraged to start an Etsy shop by my friends who are Etsy fans. After I investigated Etsy for myself, I thought it would be perfect to sell my jewelry.

Which item in your shop is your favorite?
My green dragonfly is my favorite piece. It’s my favourite because it’s my first.

Where does your shop name originate from?
My name is Cindy and I Bead. Therefore Cindy Bead was born.

Squeak Squeak!


Poppy
(poppyseedcats)