Voting Time Again!

Welcome to our second monthly challenge project! ACE team members were invited to make a red, white, and blue 4th of July or summer themed project. The winner will be whoever gets the most votes!

Check out the projects and vote for your favorite using the POLL located in the right sidebar. Voting will close on Friday July 31.

Here are the candidates:


Patriotic Plush Pear by agreenelephant

Fireworks - Hand Blown Glass Globe by inthelightglassworks

Jacob's Ladder by McCoyToys

Grace Foldover Clutch in Quilted Navy by prettylittlepearl

Steamer Trunk Travel Journal by UberArt

Red Bandana Quilted Hobo Purse by zellbell

KOALA Caddie™ Yarn Craft Apron

This week's featured artist is Mary of Koala Caddie. Mary is based in Onset, Massachusetts, at the beginning of Cape Cod and she has been selling on Etsy since mid-March 2009.

How did you choose your shop name?

I named my shop for my creation, the KOALA Caddie Yarn Craft Apron. I designed this apron/tote to offer yarn lovers a smarter way to knit and crochet. The name combines the form of the marsupial koala with the function of a golfer’s caddie.

What is your specialty and what drew you to it?

My favorite craft is crocheting. However my idea for the KOALA Caddie calls on the sewing skills I learned from my mother. Using the finest materials and working with care on a useful product bring me satisfaction and joy. This idea is a gift and I am very grateful for it. Bottom line, though, it’s all about the fabric!

What inspired the “birth” of this item?

The arrival of my grandchildren saw a resurgence in my crocheting. After a while I had a list of things that annoyed me: interruptions, fuzz on my clothes, pet fur in my work, early rows fuzzing from friction, and plastic bags holding skeins of expensive yarn. Other things made me cringe: a project falling from a lap onto the floor; a shedding pug heading towards a work in progress; a child’s sweater pulled from a plastic bag in a germ-laden waiting room. I said to myself, “There has GOT to be a better way!” I developed the KOALA Caddie to offer just that: a new and better way to knit and crochet.

Does this item have any personal significance to you?

This KOALA Caddie is made from fabric designed by Kaffe Fassett for Westminster Fabric. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Annual Meeting of the Greater Boston Knitting Guild in May. I presented him with a Caddie made from one of his wonderful fabrics, and he kindly autographed another that I will treasure. I have a post about this event in my blog at www.koalacaddie.com.

What is your favorite part of the process of creating your item?

I have to be honest – I LOVE choosing the fabric and selecting the perfect coordinating satin, snaps, and cordlocks. I get a mental glimpse of the final product and then I’m just “itching” to get started on it.

Please briefly describe a workday in your “studio” and how you created this item.

I am an early riser. After coffee I make the Caddies I’ve chosen for that day. There are about a dozen steps in the process. I make each one from start to finish and try to make at least two each day. In addition to sewing, I mail new orders, prepare for demos, and update my shop or blog. I love setting my own schedule and agenda. I always check my Etsy favorites for new fabric listings and I read the Storque faithfully, leave comments, and convo other sellers.

If this item is part of a special line that you do, has there been an evolution in your process? For example, if we were to compare the first one you made to this one, what differences would there be, if any?

The first yarn craft apron I made looked like something Florence Nightingale might have worn during the Crimean War. It was about 3 times the size of the current Caddie and even had a bib. I was using buttons and elastic loops where I now have fabric tabs with snap closures. I have streamlined and simplified my design while adding touches that enhance its utility and versatility. I’m sure this process will continue and I’m excited to see where the path will lead. Thanks so much for the opportunity to share my KOALA Caddie Yarn Craft Apron with your Etsy Team.

CONGRATULATIONS to Mary for winning the GRAND PRIZE of the Cultured Expressions 2009 Fabric Challenge!
See her winning entry here : http://www.culturedexpressions.com/upload/challenge_winners.pdf
Love it? Contact her and she can make you one!

Feature Friday 07/17/09

Here you will see some lovely items made by members of the ACE team. Just click on the photos to visit each seller's Etsy shop.

Custom handmade cold process felt soap by Jazzturtle.


Summer sun headband by ebspider.


Sapphire water butterfly earrings by kingfishercrafts.

Feature Friday 07/10/09

Here you will see some lovely items made by members of the ACE team. Just click on the photos to visit each seller's Etsy shop.


Sturdy, Lightweight and Ultra-Feminine. This Paper Bangle from newfangled is the perfect addition to any outfit!



Whether you are sitting by the ocean or sipping a glass of lemonade, this Starfish Glass Pendant from denimnotes is sure to get you in the mood for summer!



While you are sipping that lemonade, record the events of your summer in this sweet Raspberry Lemonade Journal from UberArt.


A big tanks to Gretchen of prettylittlepearl for writing this feature! Be sure to check out her lovely sewn items like this fold-over clutch in Chocolate Garden Maze.

Favorably Fashioned - handcrafted paper treasures

This week's featured artist is Michele of favorablyfashioned.etsy.com . Michele is based near Seattle in Washington. She has been actively selling on Etsy since April 2009.

How did you choose your shop name?
It is part of a lyric from one of my favorite songs

What is your specialty and what drew you to it?
Paper! I love crafting designer prints and trying my hand at graphic design. I love being able to combine so many beautiful things!

What inspired the “birth” of this item?Custom mini cards! They were actually a special request from Angela at TheChartreuseRoom.etsy.com - I love they way they turned out, and I've sold several others since then!

Does this item have any personal significance to you?
I'm obessed with kraft cardstock, the warm color & texture, and I love the fact that its recylced! plus, I adore all things mini!

What is your favorite part of the process of creating your item?
Working with my client to get the perfect layout and sending the order off, beautifully packaged.

Please briefly describe a workday in your “studio” and how you created this item.
Most of my work is on custom projects - with lots of correspondance! it often takes dozens of emails back and forth to come to a final design. Then I maximize my printable area and get to trimming indidivual pieces. Note card sets are fun too, I love finding new color and design combos.

If this item is part of a special line that you do, has there been an evolution in your process? For example, if we were to compare the first one you made to this one, what differences would there be, if any?

My first sale was a 2"x2" thank you tag, the mini card can be a tag as well.
I've sold several different variations, but the process has remained pretty consistant. I love being able to customized a general idea to fit each client.

Check out her shop for more gorgeous paper works or follow her on twitter!

Also, mention this post for 10% off all orders PLUS free shipping till July 31.
Just put "ACE blog" in message to seller during checkout or contact favorablyfashioned.etsy.com before placing your order!

June Monthly Challenge Winner

Congratulations to our beach themed contest winner, Karol of karolsvintageart! Karol's lovely art quilt won 32% of the vote.

The quilt was made from Karol's original design and embellished with a beautiful multi colored thread and free motion quilting to highlight the motion of the piece.Karol has been quilting for over 15 years and her one of a kind collectible quilts show the care and creativity that go into each of her designs.



Our first runner-up with 16% of the vote was the Boat Pull Toy and Puzzle by McCoyToys. The McCoys have been making hand-crafted toys, games & puzzles for over 12 years & use wood & paint that are "lead-free" & safe for children.


Coming in close behind with 14% of the vote was the Navy Linen Zippered Clutch/Purse by AGreenElephant. Cathy offers a variety of handmade goodies for you, your home, and your family.

A big thanks to all of you who joined in and voted. We really enjoyed sharing our creations with you. Be sure to join us next month for July's team challenge, and please, let us know if you have any suggestions for themes that you would like to see us try.

Babyjewels Unique Custom Rubber Stamps

This week's featured artist is Cat of Babyjewels Designs http://www.babyjewels.etsy.com. Cat is from New England and has been selling on Etsy since October 2006.


How did you choose your shop name?
The shop name came from my previous blogging name, semi based on my cat Jewels and that I was making baby jewelry at the time.

What is your specialty and what drew you to it?
My specialty on Etsy evolved over the years to what it is now.
I started selling jewelry, which I had also been selling to local boutiques. Concurrently, I was also working as a graphic designer and started selling graphic design here. I did well, but longed for something that I could get a little more mileage out of my illustrations. With graphic design you sell something you absolutely love and that's it. It's never to be repeated as it's a custom item to represent someone's business. I really wanted to find something where I could not only provide custom work but get a bit more life out of designs. I absolutely love coming up with ideas
for stamps as well as fulfilling custom requests.

What inspired the “birth” of this item? One of my favorite designs is the tandem bike with the license plate for customer info.
It was a custom request that I fell in love with. It's a great seller and I love knowing it's been part of a few brides' big days, from being used on invitations to favor bags.

Does this item have any personal significance to you ?

I love the tandem bike because it represents an illustration that is outside my comfort zone. It tends to draw whimsically and it needed to be more a technical illustration. I desperately needed an example of a tandem bike so ended up taking a photo of a bike into photoshop and mocking it up as a tandem. Then drawing it in vector from my frankenstein example.

What is your favorite part of the process of creating your item?
I really love trying to come up with stamps I haven't seen anywhere else.
Interesting illustrations that then have interesting ways to present the custom wording.

Please briefly describe a workday in your “studio” and how you created this item

I really work around the kids. Mornings I answer convos and emails, afternoons I design any orders or tend to the shop, and evenings are more design work and packaging. The bulk of my work is done in the evenings when my husband comes home and takes over.

If this item is part of a special line that you do, has there been an evolution in your process?

There has been evolution in design, fine tuning stamp sizing, text sizes and rethinking how a stamp designed for wood handle will translate to a self inking should the customer want that style. I've also rethought and refined packaging a few times. You definitely want cute packaging, but I strive to find ways to keep it cute and keep costs down.


Check out her shop for more fun designs and great ways for you to use them!