Showing posts with label greeting cards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greeting cards. Show all posts

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Coming for You, Canton!

Meet Carolyn Bauer and Kim Holl from KAH Creatives...
I have always had an eye for decorating and design. I love to look at homes and watch HGTV. I have crafted for myself, but just started to get serious on what I want to achieve: refurbished, rustic and aged metal, glass, etc. My husband and I just started going to Estate sales in October 2018, where I saw all this awesome stuff that I want to redo. I generally can see it in my mind right away. I’ve been following a lot of DIT/ Farmhouse/Shabby Chic designs. I recently redecorated most of my home and I wanted to make some of the decor myself.

I encouraged my sister to start selling her creations at craft shows and I have helped her with her shows. I had have also helped my two very talented daughters at their craft shows, they are both artistic and own their own businesses. One is a graphic designer and the other makes bracelets and Malala’s from real gemstones. I have felt more inspired now to take my visions to the next level.
I like to make homemade gifts as it shows that I put a lot of love, time and effort in it and people appreciate that. My sisters and I have always crafted together and we always inspire one another. Once I started going to Estate sales, I have developed this vision of how I could refurbish the items I was seeing into something very beautiful. I took a shot at it and now I’m addicted. Eventually, we also want to refurbish old dressers and small tables.

I am hoping I do well as this will be my first real craft show and that people like what I make in order to continue to grow as a crafter. My passion for art is genuine and heartfelt. Art in any form is more beautiful because of its own creation behind it. I enjoy creating and sharing my visions. 

Meet Lindsey and Matt White from Fox Black Koi Candle Co…
What began as a love of candles and obsession with collecting them, turned into a passion of creating our own. In the summer of 2018, we began this adventure with the thought that it would be a fun hobby and nothing more. That quickly transformed into a business idea when we realized how much we loved the process of candle making. Since then, we have worked hard to develop a brand that you can trust and love as much as we do! When we decided to venture into the wonderful world of candle making in August of 2018, we had a couple goals in mind. First, we wanted to create candles that would be as sustainable as possible and to use non-toxic and phthalate-free fragrances. Second, we made a commitment to use fragrances sourced locally right here in Ohio, and only work with 100% natural soy wax grown in the U.S.A. Our mission is to spread creativity, good vibes, and great smells.
We both have a huge passion to create, whether candles or other forms. Matt – who has a day job in software development – finds creating physical, tangible pieces of work inspiring, especially since he works in a field that doesn’t produce physical things. Lindsey has always had the urge to create and holds a B.A. in fine arts. She finds inspiration in all things, colors, books, music, baking, smells and imagines each has its own story to tell, which she does in watercolors. For White Fox Black Koi Candle Co., she was in charge of designing the logo and branding package. 

We discovered our talent by accident! We had no idea what went into the process of making candles when we began, however, as we practiced and perfected our work did it become something more than a hobby. Attending craft shows and realizing that we were buying tons of candles is what gave us the idea! We decided that we wanted to learn more about making candles and started making them on our own.


Our philosophy is that everyone deserves to have their room smell awesome, so it all begins with a smell. With that mission in mind, we want to help people find “that smell” that will brighten their whole day, bring back good memories, or help them relax. We go to our supplier, located in Ohio, and sample fragrance oils by the tens and hundreds before narrowing down our choice, which is easier said than done. We take notes on the pros and cons for each, thinking about what will connect with our customers and will it fit with our vision. Once that is finally accomplished, we sit down and brainstorm a name and think of a color for the scent. We want to find a unique and creative name that also fits the overall notes of the fragrance.


Because we primarily sell our goods online, we don’t get many opportunities to interact on a personal level with our customers That means our five-year goal will be to get our product and brand in front of an ever-growing audience and connect with our customers face-to-face. Ultimately, we aim to build wholesale relationships with retailers who are looking for well-crafted and visually striking candles to put on their shelves. White Fox Black Koi Candle Co. was created with the mission to spread creativity, good vibes, and great smells. We believe that everyone deserves to have their room smell awesome.

Meet Kelmeny Nichols from Wander Brush Painting...
I am a 19-year-old girl from a small town in Mississippi. I love all things colorful and bright. I am passionate about painting and am excited to continue to follow my dreams and see where this all will lead April of 2019 will mark a year of this crazy art journey that I have been taking. This show will be my first! I hope to do more shows in the future.
I have always loved crafting. I remember my kindergarten days and the little arts and crafts we did. I also remember always being so excited for art class! The love of arts and crafts was just in me from day one! I follow many amazing watercolor artists and other artists on social media and seeing their progress and their work gives me so much inspiration and motivation to keep doing what I love.

I had no idea I had this talent until one Sunday afternoon when I drove into town, went to Walmart, and bought cheap supplies. It just felt so natural with me. I have been painting ever since! When I receive inspiration I immediately want to paint. I come up with a plan and an outline, then I begin painting, switching up details and colors as I go. If I were to describe it in three words I would say it is: crazy, imaginary, and incredibly fun!
In five years, I see myself painting full time and also having my art licensed through several different manufacturers, as well as having my own website and online store (coming soon!)I want to inspire others to chase their dreams and to find their niche and do what they love! Amazing things often start small you just have to stick to it and never give up!

Meet Sharon Arner from Lost Art Cards…
I am a wife and mom to three grown sons, and a (recently) retired registered nurse. I love to spend time at the beach and in my back yard.
I have been a maker since I was a little girl. My first memory of craft making was when my grandmother taught me how to embroider. Along the way, I learned many new forms of art and craft, including knitting and sewing. It is so satisfying to make something by hand.


About 17 years ago, I attended a card making class and was hooked! I have been making handmade cards for family and friends ever since. A card is a great way to make a connection with someone. Remembering their birthday, welcoming a new baby, or celebrating a graduation; these and others are all moments to share with the people you care about. A card is a perfect way to do that. In July 2018, Lost Art Cards was born when I opened a shop on Etsy. 


A card provides a blank canvas for which to incorporate an image with a greeting and sentiment. Nature provides much of the inspiration for the artwork on my cards. I frequently use images from the flowers in my garden and the pond built by my son.  Sometimes the colors or patterns are chosen specifically for the person who will be receiving the card.  Interactive cards are a fun way to send something unexpected, and photographs can be used to create a true one-of-a-kind card. 

Meet Marianna Cole from Re-BROOCH-Ables…
I am a mother of four sons and grandmother of seven grandsons. I was married for 33 years before becoming a widow in 2013. I remarried and relocated to my current husband's birthplace of Mansfield, Ohio in December of 2018. I guess that makes me an implant from Berlin, New Jersey. I have been creating brooches from magazines for over 25 years. I cannot take complete credit for the concept in that I saw something similar when I visited my sister in Atlanta at that time. I felt that I could improve on the product by putting my own personal twist on it which is when I came up with Re-BROOCH-Ables. I initially gave them out to family and friends as gifts and was encouraged to sell them as well. I do not have a website as of yet and primarily sell them at craft fairs, church functions, fashion shows, women's teas, etc. 
I have never sold at any Avant-Garde shows and was pretty excited when I saw the events posted online. I recently retired and look forward to getting more involved with participating in these kinds of events. I LOVE creating these works of art, pieces of jewelry, and love seeing people's reaction when they realize they were created from magazines. That alone is worth it all! People love the fact that they are their personal pieces of art and also that they are so versatile. I have customers who wear my brooches on their clothing as well as on hats, purses, belts, and necklaces. 

I am inspired by the fact that I can take paper and turn it into a one-of-a-kind work of art by using something that would otherwise be thrown away. I have donated brooches to women's shelters through the years and love making women smile with such a small act of kindness. I don't know f there is a particular message but I love making wearable art for others to enjoy. I initially got into the craft hobby because I am a giver by nature but then after my husband passed, I did so as a means to supplement my income. In 5 years I hope to have my brooches sold in departments stores such as Macy's.


2019 Canton Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, April 13, 2019 - 10:00am-5:00pm
St. George Serbian Center
4667 Applegrove St. NW
North Canton, OH 44720
For more information, contact Amanda Look, Event Coordinator at Amanda@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
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Friday, April 14, 2017

Canton Spring Show Preview!

Meet Christine Hespen from The Chris Co...

I'm 34 YO born and raised in CLE on the eastside.  I obtained a Fine Arts degree from BGSU in 2004, with a focus in photography.  Since college I've been working in Corporate America and working in the arts as a hobby. I've been creating jewelry for about 10+ or so years now. This will be my second Avant-Garde show! 

I’m inspired by color! Bright, vivid color that surrounds us in this world truly is what inspires me.  I love to take a color (or colors) and create a piece that can make me feel just as excited as when I first see a great color in our environment.

How I got into my craft.. My very first job was at a bead store in Beachwood Place back when I was 14 years old.  My love for jewelry kicked off from that job. I found out I had talent when it came to making jewelry when I watched what others created and tried to copy their pieces.  Once I started making variations of what I saw others doing, I realized it came easy to me.

My creative process.. I try not to over think a piece....when that happens I get restless and end up overthinking it to death.  I just start working on a piece, and let it flow.
My five year goal.. I'd love for this to be my full time job, jewelry making.  However I do also enjoy working full time in Corp. America.  So who knows?!

The message behind my work is that sometimes simplicity is best.  Sometimes there simply isn't a message, and that's okay! View more of my work at www.TheChrisCo.com.

Meet Arielle Westfall from Strung of Jewelz...
My name is Arielle, Raised in Canton, but recently just moved to the beautiful countryside of Lawrence Township. In love with anything outdoors, hunting, shooting, riding, and working in the garden. So when I tell a lot of people that I also make jewelry, they are usually pretty stunned. My family is made up of a bunch of different crafters, from stained glass, neon, and metal fabrication, to upcycling. So it just kind of made sense that I had to find my nitch.
  
I have been making jewelry since I was little, but seriously started into it about 2012, then put up a site on Etsy in 2014. That lead to a bunch of craft shows the start of 2015. This will be my first Avant-Garde show, I am really excited to show off my collection!

My inspiration comes from my complete mess of a craft room. I love throwing all my supplies on my desks and just see what jumps out at me! It is my organized chaos, patterns and color schemes I would have never thought of present themselves right in from of me.
This all started when I wanted to make Multiple Sclerosis Awareness bracelets for my Dad, they turned out great and everyone was asking about them. Soon after I started getting asked to do other charities, organizations, cancers. I said yes and it just grew from there. After that, all the Hematite and gemstones started coming into play, the more I read about the natural healing principles behind the stones, the more I wanted to put in every piece I made.
In 5 years I would love to just be able to work a part time “Real Job”, travel to bigger shows, and design and operate my own website. Make Strung Out Jewelz a bigger name.

The jewelry someone wears makes a statement about who that are and what they value. It gives us a glimpse of their personality, life, struggles, and achievements. I design and create jewelry with a purpose. Quality, comfortable, and a personal connection is what I strive to put into every piece.

Meet Marti McHugh-Curtis from ArtyMarti Designs...
Hi to all!  I am Marti of ArtyMarti Designs.  I live in Chagrin Falls, OH with my husband, Keith, who is endlessly patient with all the clutter that goes hand in hand with creativity!  I have been greatly interested in art, photography, lettering, writing, and just about any other creative field, since I was a very young child.  I remember the frustration at age 9, of lying in the grass, trying to focus close-up on a flower, with an instamatic Kodak that took flash cubes…anyone remember those??  

Anyway, as the years passed, I spent time studying at both Miami University and Kent State University in the art departments.  My studies ranged from wallpaper and fabric design, to calligraphy, jewelry & metals, & photography.  However, once I was married and had the first two of my four children, photography seemed the best fit, both as a creative outlet, and also a way that I could work part time.  I began entering contests, became an active member of the Chagrin Valley Camera Club, and was eventually recruited as a free-lance photographer for the Chagrin Valley Times.  
This worked perfectly with the demands of an active family; as by then I had one daughter and three sons.  I continued this work for about nine years, and felt the urge to try something different at that point.  As I had already been making many of my own greeting cards for years, by applying photos I had taken to card stock, it seemed like a perfectly natural transition for me to attempt to make this endeavor into a small business, and find a way to “update” the card style.  I registered the name ArtyMarti Designs in August of 2015, and have been busy building the business and learning the ups and downs of marketing one’s own product.  

I have had Open Houses, have some cards in local shops, as well as in a store in the Chautauqua Institution in New York state.  I participated in my first “tent event” at the end of last summer, and just recently discovered the Avant-Garde Craft Shows. The Canton show will be my first Avant-Garde Show, and I have been busy planning the best ways to display my product.  I hope to attend many more, and I hope to see you there!

Many things have inspired me to create.  I have always been drawn to beautiful details of things that I see. I love traveling, and have amassed a huge collection of photos from those travels, that I now find to be a virtual catalog for me to draw from for my card designs.  I sometimes use “straight” photography, and at other times implement “effects” on my photographs to change their appearance to a more graphic or painterly style.  I have approximately 175 different card designs currently, ranging from old cars and trucks, animals, botanicals, barns, antiques & architecture, to anything interesting that catches my eye!  At first I made all of my cards blank inside, and found that many people were requesting cards with verses.  As I enjoy writing as well, I embraced the challenge of creating verses that connected well with the photos on the cards. I now offer many cards with verses for varied occasions, as well as a large stock of blank cards for the customers that enjoy writing their own.
At the Spring Canton and Fairlawn shows, I will have some interesting gift “baskets” made up of assortments of custom greeting cards, pens, and postage stamps in pretty containers of some kind, perfect for a Mother’s Day gift or birthday gift.  This may be an especially nice present for an older mom, aunt or grandma, who can’t easily get out the way they used to, but still love to write notes and cards to people they know & love.  I hope you’ll check them out! 

I do want to let people know that at this time I am only able to accept checks and cash.  Haven’t made the big move to accepting credit cards yet, but probably will need to check that option out soon!

I am in a constant state of learning, as I go through this process of creating and selling my art.  I am always open to hearing suggestions of what particular items people would like to see on a card, that I have not yet made.  My greatest satisfaction comes when a customer truly connects with a particular photo, and tells me the memories it brings to them, or when they tell me the verse I wrote perfectly conveys what they would like to say to someone.  I am very much looking forward to this new adventure, and hope that I will meet many of you soon!

Meet Kathleen Modory from A Moment for Mom...
I am married with a two year old son and a little girl on the way. I work as a medical coder during the week. I live in Medina, Ohio. I love learning all sorts of crafts. I have been crafting bath bombs for about a year now. I have done about 4 Avant-Garde shows. 

I like to try new things with my bath products. I see things in everyday life and think of ways to make bath bombs that look like ordinary things. As a working mom of a two year old the bath tub was the only place to be alone to just be me. I was buying bath bombs like crazy then thought I should make them myself to get exactly the scents and colors I enjoy. 
How I discovered my talent.. I practiced for a few weeks. About 4 ruined batches later I got the recipe right. It seems very easy, but there is so much chemistry involved.
When it comes to my creative process... I am always thinking of ways to better my products and to make new ones. After each batch is made I evaluate what went right and what could have been better

My five year goal.. Hopefully still doing craft fairs every weekend. It's a nice thing to do with my husband. We get to spend time together as a family outside getting to know the people in our community.
The message behind my work is to take the time to slow down and put yourself first. Every mom needs a moment for themselves.


Meet Elizabeth and Erin of Craftologie...

Hi Y’all. We are Elizabeth and Erin of Craftologie.  We met as coworkers while at a large jewelry company. We bonded in our multifaceted love of making and our ideals on the appreciation for products that are well made and beautifully designed. Out of a desire to spread this ideology, we formed Craftologie.  For us Craftologie is a lifestyle. Through Craftologie we want to sharing our thoughtfully crafted lifestyle with everyone through our products and outreach.



We have both been making and creating since we were old enough to walk and talk. While we both have been doing shows and fairs for years, the begging of this year is our debut of Craftologie. Which we carefully formulated as a way to express and share our handmade lifestyle. 


We are highly inspired by beautiful designs and happy occurrences in nature. We both find that there is an innate need to create with in us.  It is this feeling that constantly has us finding new ideas and designs we want to try. 



We both agree that we have an innate desire to be creative and to make things and if we don’t know how to make something we will teach ourselves how.
At a very early age we both had a desire to make.  While we never were experts right away, we worked honed our craft by learning from our successes as well as our mistakes.  We will always continue to perfect our craft.



Our process is collaborative so that we both develop an idea. We decide how we want the design and what is the best method of creating the piece from start to finish.  From there we make a prototype which is then transformed into a full production line. 



Our five year goal... We see our selves happily creating, constantly taking our creativity to the next level, and seeing all of our ideas come to fruition. We hope to influence the community in the lifestyle of appreciating how things are made. 
Through our designs, creativity and craft we want to express this idea of the lifestyle of Craftologie. Specifically our mission is as follows:

Our Mission is to present you with thoughtfully designed thoughtfully crafted jewelry, decor and gifts galore.  Your pieces are made with the highest attention to detail and with the greatest respect toward craftsmanship.  Love them. Cherish them. Pass them on to future generations.  Share the joy of the handmade and express yourself through Craftologie.

View more of our work at: www.craftologie.weebly.com.


2017 Canton Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Time- 10:00am-5:00pm
St. George Serbian Center
4667 Applegrove Street NW
North Canton, OH 44720
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on: