Etsy Dallas Interview - Brandon from Honeycomb Print Shop

I am happy to introduce another amazing member of our Etsy Dallas team today! Get to know what inspires Brandon Griswold to create his unique, handmade prints for Honeycomb Print Shop. 

Hi Brandon! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your shop. 

Well hi! I'm a native of Northern Virginia, but my family moved to Texas before I started High School. I left briefly for college at a small school in Arkansas and moved back to start my career after graduation. I now work by day as a graphic designer at Fossil. I started Honeycomb Print Shop in the fall of 2010 as an outlet for my letterpress passion and my way of sharing the art form with others.

Linocut Print - "Big Red" Ford Truck

How did you get started selling your creations?

This whole thing sort of started in college when I made some prints just for fun that I then sold or gave away to friends. When I returned from a summer internship at a letterpress shop in Nashville, I knew I couldn't just give up letterpress simply because I didn't have the equipment. I then talked my way into getting my press and started gathering equipment as I could afford to. With a lot of encouragement from some of my co-workers, I opened up shop and have been printing ever since.

Moleskine Notebook Letterpress Cover - Doodle

You sell such beautiful prints! Where did your love for print and typography come from?

First of all, thank you! I took some classes in college that introduced me to printmaking and the basics of typography, but things didn't click then. My class projects were all pretty terrible. After learning about the shop in Nashville, I started to pay attention to both letterpress and typography more. After a couple of attempts, I finally was accepted as an intern for them and learned so much that summer. It really gave me a passion for the history of letterpress and I've always enjoyed the challenge of working within limitations. Typography has similar limitations (legibility, flow, etc) so it's been the perfect match for me.

Hand Carved Block Print - Literature

Do you have any advice for other creatives who want to open their own handmade shop?

Do your homework. I've hit a few obstacles along the way that could have been easily avoided if I had put in the time to figure out the proper process. Besides that, I'd say just dive in.

Letterpress Art Print - Be Creative

What is your favorite part about Dallas? Favorite shop? Restaurant?

I love lakewood and White Rock Lake (where I live). It's quite peaceful and relaxing when I don't want to get into the city. We Are 1976 is a great shop filled with lots of my friend's work. I love stopping by there to see what's new. And as far as food goes, it doesn't get much better than Del's Charcoal Burgers.

Good Day Poster

Describe your creative personality in three words.
Always in motion


Thank you so much Brandon! 

Get to know Brandon and Honeycomb Print Shop around the internet!
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Blog


Posted by Meredith of Sheepish Knit Crochet.

Member Spotlight - Pamplemousse 1983

Get to know another fabulous new member of Etsy Dallas, Maryam of Pamplemousse 1983. She has a wonderful blog and Etsy shop filled with color and a love for photography. 

Hi Maryam! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your shop. 

Well, my name is Maryam and I live in East Dallas with my husband, daughter and two dogs. I moved to Texas in 2001 (!!!) to attend the University of Texas at Arlington and ended up meeting my husband here. In my shop I sell photographic prints and jewelry made with my photographs.

Fine Art Bobby Pins

How did you get started selling your creations?

I opened my Etsy shop a few years ago but never was really serious about it until last year. I loved the idea of Etsy but I didn't really have time to work on my own shop until I had my daughter. Since having her I've had a new burst of creative energy that's really pushed me to work on my shop and set new goals for success.

Floral Polaroid Rainbow Fine Art Photograph

You sell such beautiful photographs! Where did your love for photography come from?
I never was very good at math and I've always hated writing so I decided to major in fine arts. After I took my first photography class I was hooked. I ended up concentrating in Photography. I've always loved taking photos but never really thought of it as a form of art until college. After I graduated I ended up taking a job in insurance (gag me) and found myself in a creative hole. I eventually quit, got my teacher certification and became an elementary art teacher. It was during this time that I really started exploring photography as an art form again and renewed my passion for the medium.

Do you have any advice for other creatives who want to open their own handmade shop?
Do your research! I think a big mistake I made starting out was not looking at the competition. Know who your audience is, what they're looking for and find ways to reach them.

Doe Visits Grandmother Fine Art Photograph

What is your favorite part about Dallas? Favorite shop? Restaurant?
I really love my neighborhood in East Dallas. I love being so near White Rock Lake! My favorite shop is We Are 1976 on Henderson which sells really awesome knickknacks, art prints and accessories. As far as food, there are a ton of really really great places to eat but my newest favorite is Goodfriend in East Dallas (right by Dowdy Studio!). Their Loretta burger is AMAZEBALLS.

Sew Sew Sew Fine Art Photograph

Describe your creative personality in three words.
Colorful, Fun, ADD.


Thanks so much Maryam! You can find more Pamplemousse 1983 here:

Etsy
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Shop Feature: Maggie May I

Today's spotlight focus is on Maggie May I!  Maggie Younkin is a mixed-media collage artist out of North Richland Hills specializing in jewelry made from repurposed game pieces.


Maggie says she had been trying for years to implement family game night at her house. But since no one wanted to join her she turned to the next best thing - jewelry.   She uses repurposed dominos, found objects and game pieces to create the most amazing pendant necklaces and keychains.

pendant made from vintage anagram - $8.50

twin mustache pendant made from repurposed domino - $15

bicycle necklace from recycled checker - $15

bird key recycled domino pendant - $18

candy sprinkle pendant - $10

Visit Maggie at the Spring Bash next week!

Member Spotlight: Local Honey

Hi everyone! This is Meredith from Sheepish Knitting & Crochet. I am excited to introduce you to Kelly Christine and her lovely shop Local Honey. I hope you enjoy getting to know this inspiring lady! 

Hi Kelly! Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Hey there! Thanks again, Meredith, for choosing to interview me! Now a little about myself... I'm a 21-year-old cat lover and small business owner. I come from the tiny East Texas town of Golden (population 300), but moved to Dallas almost 3 years ago to start school and a new adventure. Since then, I've finished college and have 2 businesses,  Local Honey (my Etsy shop!) and Kelly Christine Photo + Films (my wedding & portrait photo/video biz). When I'm not shooting a wedding or making an Etsy order, you could find me eating Mexican food, blogging, spending time with my honey or working on a craft project.

How did you get started sewing your beautiful burlap pillows?

I have loved sewing since my Grandmother taught me at 13, but it wasn't until I attended school that I really got to focus on my sewing skills. I attended a small college nearby and got a dual associates degree in fashion design & merchandising. Once graduation time came around and all of the school projects were finished, I was feeling creatively frustrated. I was so used to being in school and making something everyday, so when I was done, I was thinking..."Okay. Now what?" Since I was passionate about sewing and had a lot of ideas, I thought I should open an Etsy shop. At that time, I was interning at a local children's boutique called Little Bean. I approached the owner one day about my ideas, and she encouraged me to go for it. It only took me about a week to decide on a name and what exactly I would be selling. 

You also create lovely watercolor paintings! Where did that skill come from?

I come from a long line of all kinds of artists: painters, graphic designers, wood carvers, soap makers, sheep farmers, authors...the list goes on. I have always loved to paint, but while in school, I rarely ever got to. It was only just recently that I got inspired to pick it back up again. Watercolor is my favorite, and I really love making custom items for people. I wanted to change up my shop a little bit and thought this was a perfect way to do so!

Do you have any advice for other young people (like myself) who want to make a career out of a passion for crafts and creativity?

My advice would be just to go for it! Right now. Find something that you really, really love and are passionate about. Make sure it's something you're 100% proud of and want to share with the world. It might take a while to get to where you want to be, but that makes it all the more rewarding. I'm also a believer in making your own rules. There's no handbook to starting a business. Figure it out, and make it happen! :-] I also have an amazing support system behind me. My parents are both small business owners too, so I'm always asking them for advice! 

What is your favorite part about Dallas? Favorite shop? Restaurant?

Coming from such a small town, it really took me a while to accept Dallas as my home... But over the last few years, I've grown to love it so much. My favorite thing about this city is probably my neighborhood. I live off Henderson around the M-streets & Greenville Ave. If you don't know this area, you need to! I love all the independent shops, restaurants, and the people. My favorite store in Dallas (this is a tough one) is probably The Gypsy Wagon. Aside from having amazing stuff, it's also within walking distance to my house (that can be a bad thing for my wallet!) My favorite coffee shop/drink stop is definitely Pearl Cup. My favorite restaurant at the moment is Bankok City. They've got the best thai food around!

Describe your creative personality in three words.

I think the phrase "work in progress" could describe my creative personality pretty well. It seems I'm never quite finished with something whether it be my website design, a new pillow idea, or the layout of my living room furniture. At times, I wish my creative brain had an "on/off" switch, haha. 

Thank you so much, Kelly!

Visit Kelly around the web:

Etsy

Blog

Twitter

Member Spotlight: The Pig And The Peacock

Lavender, Olive Oil, Aloe & Shea Butter Soap - $5

What a way to start the week off fresh! Today we're talking with Sabrina and Jenny Abney of The Pig and The Peacock, who make incredibly amazing bath and body products. (So fresh and so clean, clean!)

White Tea & Ginger Body Polish - $10

Etsy Dallas: When did you start your shop, and how/why did you get started?

The Pig and the Peacock: We started in March of 2008 making bath salts and gift baskets for our friends. It quickly snowballed into so much more!

ED: What kinds of products do you sell? What materials do you work with?

PP: We sell bath and body products and candles. We make soap, lotion, body polish, body mist, body whip, bath salts and lotion bars. We use shea butter, olive oil, jojoba and other skin loving ingredients. For our candles we use 100% soy wax.

Shark Soap - $3.50 (a clean way to celebrate Shark Week!)

ED: Any new additions to your shop?

PP: We recently listed a new line of soaps, The Chakra Soap Collection! We are very excited about it. Each soap is made in the color representing each chakra, and we have custom blended scents for all of the soaps to help you connect to and balance your chakras.

ED: What inspires you? Where/when do you work on making products for your shop?

PP: Travel and design inspire us most. We often try to tie scents to places we have traveled to, like lavender and oranges from Italy, teak in Thailand, and wine from California. Design also sparks a lot of creativity for us, we will often see something we love and try to figure out how we can translate those design ideas into soap. Not only does this challenge us creatively, but also technically as some ideas can be really hard to translate to soap!

Body Mist - $4

ED: So tell us about yourselves...

PP/Sabrina: I live downtown and love it! My boyfriend and I have a very spoiled lab/rottie mutt and I love him like my child. My day job is Manager of Planning and Allocations for a national retailer. Jenny lives in N Dallas, and she is VP of a commercial fan company. We are sisters (if I hadn't mentioned) and have lived in Dallas most our lives. Jenny was born in Vietnam and lived overseas for some time. Growing up we split our time between Dallas and our family farm in GA, where the inspiration for our shop name came from. We also both ice skate competitively, it's probably the coolest (literally!) hobby we have!

Breast Cancer Awareness Soap (set of 3) - $3.50

Find some of The Pig And The Peacock's products locally at the Abundance Boutique at Move Studio and at the Mapleshade Spa, and of course in their etsy shop!

Member Spotlight: The Ruffly Owl

Get ready to fall in love! Today we're talking with Dacia Sigler of The Ruffly Owl. Dacia makes the cutest papergoods - I love her clean, simple aesthetic and inventive use of materials (garland made from hearts cut from a map of Paris? Yes, please!!)

Map of Paris Hearts Garland - $14

Etsy Dallas: So Dacia, what inspired you to start selling your awesome papergoods?

Dacia Sigler: I started my shop in June 2010 after spending the previous 1-2 yrs planning my wedding. I DIY'ed most of the paper goods and basically fell in love with crafting, paper, and typography.

ED: What kind of items do you sell, and what materials do you work with?

DS: I sell an assortment of tags that can be used for embellishing gifts, favors, scrapbooking, etc. I work with card stock, envelopes kraft, stamps, ink, twine, bakers twine, stickers, paper punches, printer, illustrator and photoshop...

Recipe Cards Set of 10 - $10

ED: What inspires you?

DS: All things pretty and whimsical inspire me. The unexpected and smallest of details is what fascinates me and inspires me to make what I do. I work from my little circa 1940's desk in our downtown apartment at all hours of the day, night, and morning. My wheels are CONSTANTLY spinning and I'm always dreaming up new products.

Mr and Mrs Heart Bunting - $20

ED: Tell us a little about yourself...

DS: I live in Downtown Dallas with my husband Art, and two dog-children Emma and Hiro. My hobbies (besides crafting and being creative) are going to antique stores, vintage stores, thrift stores looking for my next find, and watching movies. I have two other jobs: substitute teaching for DISD and medical billing for a co. based out of Florida (been working for them for almost 10 years!). I moved to Dallas from Ft. Lauderdale 2 years ago to be with my fiance then, husband now. We had a long distance relationship for a year before that.

Happy Birthday Mustache Card - $4

You can find Dacia's work and contact info here. Happy shopping! (PS - she is always willing to do custom work!)

Member Spotlight: Signifying Not

Merbaby Illustration - $20

Magical, creepy, beautiful and mysterious: those are the words that pop into my mind when I look at the amazing work of Signifying Not. Summer's gorgeous illustrations are not only available as prints, but t-shirts, accessories and cool gifts. Read on as Summer Ortiz answers a few of our questions...

ED: How did you get started selling your art?

SO: I had taught myself to screen print and had been making shirts for myself and friends since high school. People had been encouraging me for years to sell the shirts, but I never took their advice until last January when I had a little bit of extra cash and took the plunge into running my own business.

Centaur Gentleman Tee - $25

ED: What kind of products do you sell, and what materials do you work with?

SO: Clothing, prints, magnets, plush creatures, really anything we have the time and imagination to create. Work with all kinds of materials, but mainly tees and paper.

ED: What are your future plans for Signifying Not?

SO: We are always expanding and creating new things, but this year I am hoping to have some new tee designs and think of some new ways to display our designs - more prints, bags, etc. We are also looking to expand and sell our wares in more shops around Dallas and possibly elsewhere.

ED: What are you most inspired by?

SO: I am inspired by all things weird/odd/strange - Victorian traditions and fashion, unusual historical figures and events, wunderkammers, fairy tales (original versions), literature, vintage illustrations and prints.

Chang and Eng Paper Dolls - $10

Temporary Tattoos - $4.50

Beheaded Medal - $15

Summer lives in North Deep Ellum with a chihuahua named Oliver, and works as a designer for the Texas Woman's University. You can find her products on Etsy as well as Dolly Python.

www.signifyingnot.com

www.twitter.com/signifyingnot

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128349920536315

Member Spotlight: Karma Crochet

Patricia of Karma Crochet is one of the most prolific crafters you'll ever meet... just check out the amount of items up for sale in her etsy shop! From cozy blankets and scarves, to jewelry, notepads and magnets, Patricia offers something for everyone.

Navy Coffee Sleeve

Set of three dishcloths

Bow Scarf in Kelly Green

She says she's been knitting and crocheting for as long as she can remember, and began selling what she was already making in 2008. Not only is she an avid crafter, she also works full time as a tech and support manager. After her her work day is over, she heads home to start her crafting. Patricia says, "My cat , Sam appreciates that I stay home and provide him with hours of entertainment with the supplies. Sam loves to play with my measuring tape. He thinks he's helping me!"

Matchbook Notepads

Pinback Buttons

Find lots more of Patricia's unique handmade goods online at karmacrochet.etsy.com, as well as at the Trinity Audubon Center. Happy shopping!

DIY on a Dime: BUTTER Gets Re-purposed

Laura Davis of BUTTER is not just my fellow Etsy Dallas member, she's a friend and neighbor.

I love stopping by her house because I'm always sure to see something new she's made with the materials she finds around her. "I try to do everything I can with repurposed materials," says the furniture designer by day, home accessories designer by night (and SCAD alumna, to boot).



"I'm an absolute junkie for thrift stores and estate sales, and I often use my lunch breaks to pop in the thrift stores around my work. My favorite finds = old furniture on the side of the road! You can make some pretty sweet stuff for free." Some of the things Laura makes:

• clocks from old saw blades
• lights from old baskets
• tote bags from fabric samples
• furniture re-upholstery with vintage/found fabrics
• napkins from upcycled linens
• decorative trays from old cafeteria trays

This creative lady is serious about repurposing old materials. She tells me, "I'm trying to be very thoughtful about what I toss out, as well... my fabric scraps either go to teamies [like me!] who could use them, or if small enough (like serger scraps) go to stuffing for plush toys for my nieces." Laura confesses she "almost borderline hoarder" which I can totally relate to.


When she isn't scavenging furniture parts or piling up 6 feet of fabric samples in her office, Laura like to read about repurposing in the crafting age. Some of her recommended reading includes Tossed and Found and Remake It Home.


Visit Laura's online shop to see more of her great repurposed designs: www.BUTTERdesignlab.etsy.com. And if you see her at the thrift store, be sure to say Hi!


posted by Stephanie/tefi