Etsy Artist of the Week - Mychelle

This week's featured artist from the ACE team is Michelle of Fun Stuff by Mychelle. She makes recycled, re-purposed, and reusable items, mostly out of fabric. She is doing her part to help save our environment! You rock, Michelle!Is there a story behind your shop name?
I have been using this spelling online because it's different and stands out from the traditional spelling of my name.

What made you decide to open your own shop?
I have dabbled with selling things I made since I lived in KS, but never in an organized way. I love the concept of a community market of handmade goods for the world.

What is your favorite material to use?
Anything re-purposed or recycled. We too often get rid of things when an item is no longer functional in its original purpose.

Talk briefly about your favorite item:
My favorite item is the lab skirt tote. It is the most directly re-purposed item, made from an old skirt in a Labrador retriever print. Maybe it's my favorite because I love dogs!

What are your creative inspirations?
This is hard to answer because I never know when inspiration is going to hit me. I suppose it happens most often outdoors in nature.

Are you a crafter full time or part time, and how do you find time to create?
Part time, I often work on projects while hanging out with my husband or friends.

Who encourages you to create?
My grandmother who has always been a crafter, and also the members of the ACE team.

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?
I wish I was in the position to be giving advice, but I am on the learning end of this curve.

Do you have a blog or website?
No, I believe it is better to do one thing right than many things part way so I am working on becoming more proficient on the Etsy site and getting to know the ACE team members better before venturing elsewhere.

Tell me any other interesting things about yourself you'd like for me to include in your article:
I was born in IA. Then my family moved to IL, WI, then NC. I grew up in Raleigh, NC before moving to Greenville to attend ECU where I met my wonderful husband from KS. We moved to KS for four years before returning to NC. I am happy to be back home.

ACE Team Artist Of the Week - Survivor's Therapy

Jackie of Survivor's Therapy http://survivorstherapy.etsy.com/ is the featured artist for this week. A big round of applause for Jackie who is one year and 4 months cancer free!!

Is there a story behind your shop name?
I am a breast cancer survivor. When trying to come up with names for my shop I sent a request out to friends and family for their comments. My sister came up with the name and it was perfect because my sewing has been my therapy while battling cancer.

What made you decide to open your own shop?
My daughter. I have been doing craft shows with her, she has her own ETSY shop (GoneDoggie, previously featured, see Archives) and she felt I should try it out.

What is your favorite material to use?
I love all kinds of material. I do a lot with fabric. But, when something inspires me I will try just about anything.

Talk briefly about your favorite item:
I am really enjoying making pillowcases right now. The varieties of fabrics available now is incredible, you can really make a beautiful piece of artwork out of a simple pillowcase.

What are your creative inspirations?
Everything around me is an inspiration. I have been crafting for many years. When my kids were young they were my inspiration and I would make their clothes for them. Now I try to create fun but, useful items like my pillowcases.

Are you a crafter full time or part time?
Part-time but, some weeks it feels like Full-time. Since going through almost 2 years of chemo I don't have the stamina that I used to, so I sew as much as I can. Often times I have to stop to take me a little nap.

Who encourages you to create?
My daughter, when she was little she would make things and do craft shows with me. I tried to teach her to sew using a sewing machine and she sewed her finger and that was that. A few years ago she got her own sewing machine and hasn't stopped since. She has kept me going with my crafts and inspired me to get back into the craft shows.

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?
It takes time for that first sale but, it will come.

Tell me any other interesting things about yourself you'd like for me to include in your article: I just turned 60 this year. I have three children. Four grandchildren with a fifth on the way. I am 1 year and 4 months cancer free. I have two dogs, Danny and Tedi which were both rescues. Tedi was actually a foster dog I was caring for and he ended up staying. I have been in NC for almost 2 years now and absolutely love it.