Feature Friday: Chelseabird/Tea Talk

I think its about time for another Friday feature. Wadda ya say? I'd like to introduce a dear friend of mine Chelsea! She write a cute blog called Tea Talk. She is always sweet and supportive, she makes super cute things, and knows all the cool local spots in town. Her boyfriend even helps out at the GROWop (the local shop where I sell my things)  by selling the amazing things he creates. They are an amazing couple. Enjoy!

Name:  Chelsea Brown aka chelseabird
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Links: You can find me here, here, and here.

Hobbies: Writing, spending time with my guy, taking photographs, crocheting/knitting, thrifting, drinking coffee

Tell me a bit about yourself/ How did you get into crafting/blogging: I am a senior journalism major at Arizona State University that loves to blog, eat, and take photos. I have been crafting most of my life, but over the last four or so years I've really got in better touch with my crafty self (thanks to my boyfriend Scott, of course). With regards to blogging, I've been blogging since about the age of 12; starting with Xanga, then going to Livejournal, then finally making my way to blogger. I feel that blogging is a great creative way to get my daily writings out, and I love sharing my adventures with my friends and readers.

What inspires you? Coffee, nostalgic feelings, books, music, my boyfriend, Fall, the outdoors

How would you describe your style? I generally try to keep things classic and classy. I am not one to show a lot of skin, so I like covering up with a pair of skinny jeans, a cute cardigan or sweater, and a pretty blouse. I also love wearing boots, and moccasins as well.

What is your favorite thing to cook/bake? My favorite thing to bake is pumpkin pie oatmeal! 

Best thrifted find?I would have to say that my best thrifted find is my vintage Coach bag. I spotted it at a Savers last year, felt the $20 price tag was too much, and walked away. A few days later my boyfriend surprised me with it as an anniversary gift.

What’s your favorite thing to do in your spare time? My favorite thing to do in my spare time is hang out with my boyfriend Scott, honestly. He's truly my other half, and we always have fun together. I also enjoy going to coffee shops!

What are you working on at the moment? As of now, I don't have any projects going on, but that is only due to my mass amount of homework that has hits these parts lately. However, if you call blogging a project, I am working on three separate blogs right now: my own, my blog for ASU, and one for a class that I'm taking.

Advice for first time sellers? Be brave and just put your stuff out there!

Do you have any favorite websites, blogs, books, etsy shops? Yes! I love Elise Blaha's blog, as well as Cracking Good and Selective Potential. 

What are your goals for your blog/shop/art/craft? My goals for my blog is to keep it going, and build a name for myself. I am hoping that one day my blog will better help me get a job in the journalism world, and I want it to be something that I can show to potential employers and have them react to it positively. However, this blog is for me, and I just know that in the future I will look back on it and be happy that I continued with it, and that I have all of my great memories written down.

Feature Friday: Rachel Red Lips

Hello everyone. Let me introduce Rachel Red Lips. The first time I stumbled upon her blog I was so excited cause her blog is really pretty and filled with lovely things. I definitely think we could be fast friends. Check out her blog and be inspired.

Name: Rachel Red Lips

Location: Portland, OR

Links: blog: http://www.rachelredlips.blogspot.com shop: http://www.redlipsvintage.etsy.com 

Hobbies: sewing, photographing, thrifting, picking wild flowers 

Tell me a bit about yourself/ How did you get into crafting/blogging: I have always loved to thrift, but needed a way to fund my hobby so it seemed obvious to start selling my vintage finds! My blog was created in association with Red Lips Vintage, but has taken over my focus in the last couple months. I started taking sewing lessons in February 10' and have been hooked ever since. All of these pursuits have taught me to be more confident, creative, and hard working than college ever could. 

What inspires you? love and learning. success stories. sincerity and open mindedness.

How would you describe your style? I am a big fan of a pretty, lightweight dress with sandals and red lipstick. I'm a florida girl at heart, so I like to have bare legs and shoulders. Most of what I wear is thrifted, so that keeps my style ever changing...I usually wear one thing for awhile and then forget about it all together. I don't like planning outfits in advance or wearing many accessories...I like to keep it simple by dressing on the fly and gussying up with flowers in my hair. Sometimes I quickly count how many different items I'm wearing, and if it's more than 5 or 6 (not including undies!) I will take a few things off to simplify. 

What is your favorite thing to cook/bake? My boy and I are vegan fools in love. We have become really great at whipping up awesome vegan dishes, but lately I don't feel like playing chef. I love homemade hummus and avocado on toast, banana pancakes, and cherry tomatoes.

Best thrifted find? I have so many! You can see more of my favorite thrift finds 2009 here:http://rachelredlips.blogspot.com/2010/01/favorite-thrift-finds-2009.html

This little girl's dress made my heart melt on the spot. It was also my most profitable thrift find! 

I found this sweater at Goodwill by a total fluke...the pattern caught my eye right when I was exiting the store! 

Thrifted this dress in Seattle. It has the cutest tie up back, and I loved that it was handmade.

I wear this little rayon dress all the time. It's the perfect dress for a really, really hot afternoon...light & breezy.

This little leotard was thrifted in LA. I wore it on halloween but mostly it just sits lookin' pretty in my closet.

What’s your favorite thing to do in your spare time? I like to read and cuddle with my cat, who is the sweetest little ball of love, and of course, I like to spend time with my boyfriend, Alex, too! 

What are you working on at the moment? Right now I'm juggling a lot of different projects and odd jobs, trying to get my feet on the ground in my new locale. I have been having a blast modeling for friend's etsy shops, photographing artist's work, altering clothing in bulk for vintage sellers, taking sewing classes, and promoting my blog. I have two really exciting proposals in the works right now, but I don't wanna jinx it by saying to much!

Advice for first time sellers? Make your shop a work in progress. I think it's so important to constantly work at improving your business. Experiment with photo spots and lighting, get to know quality vintage garments and fabrics, and ask people you admire for advice. If you look at your favorite seller's first few pages of sales, you'll see that even they have come a long way to creating a unique and beautiful shop! Also, invest in a better camera. Consider it a business expense!

Do you have any favorite websites, blogs, books, etsy shops? Oh yes. Some of my favorite etsy shops are Clevernettle, Allen Company Inc, and Vintage Shoe Love. All are run by wonderful ladies with a keen sense of business. My favorite blogs are Pacing the Panic Room, Honest Fare, Colette Patterns, and Bleubird Vintage, but especially Pacing the Panic Room. Ryan Marshall's go-getter attitude has inspired me to put myself out there, ask for jobs, and trust that I really can have any career I want! 

 What are your goals for your blog/shop/art/craft? My end goal is undetermined, but right now I am trying to learn as much as I can about sewing. I know I will be self-educating for the rest of my life, and I love it!

Feature Friday

I have met so many lovely and inspiring people through the world of blogging. I thought it would be really fun to get to know some of those inspiring folks a bit better.  I am excited to introduce Amanda, the writer of She Can't Decide and the owner of three gorgeous Etsy shops. This lady is definitely inspiring!

Name:  Amanda Rogers from Eastern, Pennsylvania.

Links: 

my vintage clothing shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/itsbella

my vintage home shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/funkeyfinds

my craft shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/olivesomeday

my blog: http://shecantdecide.blogspot.com/

Hobbies: Just like my blog says I really can never decide. One day I find myself completely inspired by vintage linens and fabrics and the next day I am tinkering with photographing primitive kitchen tools and vintage home decor. I love to paint, sketch, craft with textiles, and photograph vintage items. I love the thrill of thirfting and collecting. 

How did you get into crafting/blogging: My mother had an antique business when I was younger. She used to live at auctions and estate sales, collecting vintage jewelry, linens and furniture. She was the one who introduced me to the antique world. I used to ask her if I could keep some of her finds before I starting going out and discovering my own vintage style. Blogging is one way for me to show others what I have found. I also love to see what others have found as well. The world is FULL of vintage trinkets and treasures. 

What inspires you? I love to look at vintage / antique illustrations and photography, but my biggest inspiration is the internet. The amount of creative people out there is unbelievable. When I see what other people are doing creatively, I think to myself what a wide, wide world there is. 

How would you describe your style? I have a vast and eclectic realm when it comes to what my style is. I love the clean lines and style of the mid century modern era, but I also have a wistful liking towards the frilly Victorian era and its romantic qualities.

What is your favorite thing to cook/bake? I have been grilling like crazy this summer. My husband and I really love to eat healthy. We made a decision a few years ago to cut out processed foods and minimize our sugar. We love chopped vegetables like zucchini, red bell peppers, and onions tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper and then grilled. Mmm. We have also been making fresh pico di gallo which is heaven. 

Best thrifted find? My favorite find is my bright and colorful framed paint by number that was 25 cents! 

Do you have any favorite websites, blogs, books, etsy shops? Oh this list could be out of control, so I will just share a few...

1. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ethanollie -This shop never ceases to amaze me. The photography is so beautiful and the vintage finds unique. 

2. http://www.the-brick-house.com/ -This blog is full of clean mid century style laced with a saucy blog writer who is not afraid to drop a few cuss words. Always good for a laugh. 

3. http://madebyjoel.blogspot.com/ I am loving this blog recently, as I am an elementary art teacher and I find that the things Joel is doing with his twins can translate to my classroom. I used his idea for using scrap fabric and stick figures to make a collage. It was a success with my second graders!  He also had a fantastic post about light photography, inspired by Picasso, which I want to use in my classroom with older students this year. 

*If you would like be featured here on my blog shoot me an email at merrymayhandmade (at) gmail (dot) com. I'd love to get to know you better : ) *