poppytalk

Eastside Culture Crawl

2009-11-20T13:00:00.003-08:00

heyday design
Love this porcelain trivet created by local artist Claire Madill of heyday design. The piece is made from a mold she took of a vintage linen and crocheted doily, with a decal of a photo she took of a friend and her. This along with other beautiful artist's work will be highlighted during the Eastside Culture Crawl happening here in Vancouver this weekend. November 20 - 22nd, 2009.

The mission of the Eastside Culture Crawl Society is to promote Vancouver's east side artists and their work by fostering excellence, encouraging visibility and forging partnerships. The Eastside Culture Crawl Society brings arts to the community through the ongoing creation of events and programming that support the growth of east side artists.

eastsideculturecrawl.com

Martha Jablonski-Jones

fiveleft

Grace Lee

Dahlhaus Ceramics

Last Day of Indie Love online market!

2009-11-20T12:26:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of our Indie Love Market and we were thrilled with the turnout. We loved having all the beautiful handmade goods along for the month, from our favourite artists, designers and shops. The market will stay open until 6pm tonight (Nov 20) for some last minute shopping deals (check out the Handmade Artist blog for more deals) and then over the weekend we will be setting up for our most busiest market of the year, the Holiday & Gift- themed market. The new market will launch Monday and will run online through to December 21st! We hope you'll join us throughout the month for some new and exciting things! Have a good weekend!

Northern Residences

2009-11-20T11:26:00.000-08:00

Residence No. 1
Photos by Per Gunnarsson

A little dose of Scandinavian influence today from the folks at Skonahem and three residences all with their own unique decor yet with a common thread. Lots of white, lots of coziness and great taste! Click here to see more.

Residence No. 2
Photos by Johan Kalén

Residence No. 3
Photos by Per Gunnarsson

i made this for you... vol 12

2009-11-20T10:41:00.001-08:00

if there's anything stephen dislikes more than spiders, it's going to the dentist! before his visit, i thought i would try to lighten his anxiety by giving him a bouquet of "good luck" flowers in a papier-mâché tooth vase. (it totally helped).

New Zine: At Your Leisure

2009-11-19T12:21:00.005-08:00

Pure eyecandy today from a new zine that I've just fallen for called, "At Your Leisure". Created by J3PRODUCTIONS' Jonathan Lo (Happy Mundane) along with Garrison Smet, Paul Choi, Mark April and Kristen Gonzales. The first issue is a limited run of only 250 copies with a visual train of thought featuring individuals that "live what they love" and showcasing their creative spaces. The common thread in this issue is "collecting" which coincidentally works so well with this week's inspiration. They are hoping this will be the first in a series of 4. We hope so too! Each page is beautifully laid out complimenting the other and the subjects involved. Congratulations Jonathan and friends!

Available online here. First 100 orders get an awesome notepad!

j3productions.com
happymundane.com

Hula Seventy: Great Display Idea

2009-11-19T10:19:00.003-08:00

Since it's all about collections here at Poppytalk this week, I thought I'd share a fantastic display idea today.

My brother Nate (aka DJ Dust) found an entire volume of old 70s english school booklets at the thrift store. He was initially drawn to the bright colors, the vintage feel and strong graphics of the cardboard sleeves the booklets were housed in and couldn't leave without purchasing the entire set. Not bad for seven bucks.

After removing the booklets from each cardboard sleeve, arranging the sleeves and measuring them, Nate built three shallow wooden frames and painted them white. He attached the colorful school book sleeves to the frames with wood glue and voila. Instant awesomeness. These currently hang in Nate's Atlanta studio and I swear, they are my absolute favorite thing to look at whenever I visit.

Posted by Hula Seventy

Inspiration: Collecting {Thursday}

2009-11-19T05:42:00.004-08:00

Cori Kindred

Thursday's edition of our "collecting series" this week. We've had some beautiful entries and look forward to posting the grande finale tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who participated, and if you haven't there's still time to upload your's to our Collecting Pool. The theme today seems to be "things on shelves".

Cori Kindred

abbytrysagain

wardomatic

comfies

faire houre

2009-11-19T00:20:00.002-08:00

Adorable limited edition or one-of-a-kind plate clocks from a new to us etsy shop called, faire houre Just came across these sweet little plate clocks (styled so well) at the knack studio blog. Also check out maker, Jennilyn's blog, here. Nice stuff.

Inspiration: Advent Calendars

2009-11-19T00:12:00.000-08:00

Advent calendars come in so many different sizes and colors now a days; when we were growing up we remember the homemade one's the most or the one's in a lift-the-flap book with pictures as the reward. The german chocolate one was a treat to open up each morning in December before we trekked through the snow to school. So we thought we'd offer up a few gems we found online to be inspired by (to make your own) or if you don't have enough time like us, perhaps help you with your very own hunt for a unique non-commercial type. Starting with above from noix de coc available through Bodie and Fou.

Jodii

nuvonova

pi'lo

Chamomile Barn at Not on High Street

The Orchard at Not on High Street

An Arts & Crafts Vancouver Weekend

2009-11-18T19:32:00.001-08:00

Under the Big Top Etsy Sale
Cambrian Welsh Hall
Nov 21st 12-5pm
215 - East 17th, Vancouver, B.C.
Come One Come All the Greatest Sale Of All
Featuring 30 of your local Etsy sellers all under one roof. A collection of local handmade items ranging from jewelry to vintage, clothing, soft plush toys, to letterpress items.

Make It
Friday Nov. 20th through Sunday Nov. 22nd in Vancouver
Croation Cultural Centre
3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC
$5 at the door

Eastside Culture Crawl
Nov. 20th, 21st and 22nd – 2009
Various Locations
Vancouver, B.C.

Affordable Art for the Holidays

2009-11-18T16:48:00.005-08:00

We are big fans of Glasgow illustrator, Christine Berrie. Her work has been featured in Communication Arts, Design Week, Creative Review, Digital Arts and Computer Arts. We love her take on retro cameras, cars and typewriters. Her Microcars and Camera drawings are also now available as printed textile designs on aprons and tote bags available exclusively from Envelop.

etsy.com/shop/CB78

Dolan Geiman: Third Annual Etsy Holiday Sale!

2009-11-18T13:07:00.003-08:00

Ali and Dolan of Dolan Geiman are kicking off their third annual Etsy Holiday Sale today which runs November 18-December 20. Each and every artwork is discounted in the shop with discounts up to 50% on select originals. Also, all orders $100 or more receive a FREE GIFT! They've also restocked their popular Panel Paintings, small hand-painted and screenprinted works on recycled wood panels on sale for just $40 during our holiday sale.

Pssst: mention "Poppytalk" during the holiday sale for free shipping on any order $100 or more!

website: dolangeiman.com
Etsy shop: dolangeiman.etsy.com
blog:dolangeiman.blogspot.com
Poppytalk Handmade: poppytalkhandmade.com/gallery88

Inspiration: Collecting {Wednesday}

2009-11-18T10:25:00.002-08:00

rossignolfoto

Made with gesso and muslin by jeannemcgee

abbytrysagain

abbytrysagain

Lu Summers

A Tasty Marriage of Convenience

2009-11-18T08:58:00.001-08:00

by Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches

Dark leafy greens like kale and chard are in season right now. They're affordable and they pack a wallop of nutrition. They even taste good, so don't be a hater. However, when you've been getting them week after week (our CSA share is our main pusher), sometimes you need a bit of a shake up. I've been eating them braised, in soups, stewed, roasted and curried. But I always come back to my favorite preparation of all. How can you go wrong with greens sauteed in garlic and then tossed with pasta and cheese? Face it, you can't. It may be a marriage of convenience but it's a good match nonetheless.

Not only is this delicious and healthy, it's also a quick meal to pull together. In the time it takes for the pasta to be cooked, your meal is almost ready. What's not to love?

Chard with Fettucini, Lemon and Cheese
250 g of fettucini (or other pasta)
1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 bunch of Swiss chard or kale, tough stems removed & leaves chopped into ribbons
juice & zest from 1 lemon
1/4 c parmesan cheese

Boil salted water and cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over med-high heat and saute the garlic, shallots and red pepper flakes until soft and fragrant. Add in the chard and cook down until wilted, stirring occasionally. If the mixture gets dry, add a bit of the pasta water to keep things slightly wet.

Drain pasta reserving some of the cooking water, as the starchy cooking water helps to create a sauce. Add pasta to the chard mixture and add in some of the pasta cooking liquid. Toss with tongs and add in the lemon zest and juice. When the pasta is well coated, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and give the mixture one final toss. Serve in bowls with more cheese, if desired.

Kids Holiday Gift Guide!

2009-11-18T00:15:00.003-08:00

Playhouse from vincon.com

Today we're starting off our holiday gift guide series here with ideas for the little ones! A first we think, and how could we not help it with all the adorable things popping up wherever we turn! From handmade to eco-friendly, we've combed the online community to find some of the sweetest things!

Art soy crayons and modeling dough from Clementine Art at fawn&forest

Print from Petit Collage and Cloud Pillow from my favourite dress

Mirabel from mummysam and Mail-a-Mask Postcard from Miss Natalie and print from Berkley Illustration

honeydumplings buckwheat pillow from fawn&forest and Wall Mounted Changing Table from Spunky Sprout

Whale stuffie from Kate Durkin, Blocks by Fidoodle and knitted softee from Five Trees

Wishbone Bike from PeeWeePeople and hello hanna placemats from fawn&forest

aercraft onesie from bespoke uprising and abc spoon set from beehive kitchenware

Dinner with Mr. Fox from Mummysam and Rabbit and Tote by Besmitten

Wood clouds from Bookhou

>Easy Bake Frosting Pen

together ::2 perspectives e-course

2009-11-17T11:34:00.002-08:00

Marisa Anne of Creative Thursday along with her boyfriend, Sean (actor, writer and Improv teacher) have just announced a new e-course they will be leading together that will begin in the new year focusing on how to live a creatively fulfilling life. As the movement of creative couples who work together from home is increasing, the sounds of this course I'm sure will interest many. Click here to see find out more.

creativethursday.com
creativethursday.etsy.com
creativethursday.typepad.com

Inspiration: Collecting

2009-11-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

treatzone

abbytrysagain

third bird

abbytrysagain

third bird

Fresh from the Oven: Josh Lafayette

2009-11-17T10:23:00.003-08:00

by Will Bryant

Josh Lafayette is a young freelance designer currently living in Florence, Italy (which just happens to be where I proposed to my wife). Josh finished his BFA at Auburn in December of 2008. Before heading of to Italy he worked as a designer at Mammoth Printshop. Josh is a super guy. He's done loads of work with bands and record packaging. Check it out!

L Letterpress Tool

2009-11-17T09:20:00.003-08:00

Much buzz around these days regarding the new L Letterpress Tool and the debate about it's authenticity in comparison to the antique letterpress. I would say there isn't a comparison, however like the Print Gocco, it does have it's place in the realm of printing and looks like a fun new tool I'd like to get my hands on. The one question that hasn't been answered which the folks at Papercrave ask in their review is, does it allow you to make/customize or use your own plates? That would definitely be the only limitation that would keep potential creatives from purchasing. We tried contacting the company for an answer, however finding an email address to do so was rather difficult. We left a comment on their blog, and hope we'll hear a reply. If anyone has the answer to this, we'd love to hear from you!

Affordable Art for the Holidays

2009-11-17T07:19:00.006-08:00

These are archival giclee prints of an original diptych painting completed in June 2009 by Boston artist, Leah Giberson. Original was painted with acrylic on top of a cut up printed photograph and canvas mounted to wooden panels. These prints are available in a limited edition of 100.

Until the summer of 2008, Giberson only used her own photographs to begin paintings.This one, however, began with a photograph she found on flickr taken by photographer, Brad McMurray. He graciously gave her permission to use his work in this piece. You can see his original photograph here.

These giclee prints are produced with high-quality archival pigment based inks on beautiful 308 gsm Hahnemuhle German Photo Rag paper with a white border for framing. Each side is printed on its own sheet of 8.5"x11" paper. The printed images each measure approximately 6"x 8". They are also available printed on larger paper.

etsy.com/shop/leahgiberson

Stylin' 101: How to create amazing product photos.

2009-11-17T00:27:00.002-08:00

by Becka of Bliss in a Teacup

red cottage pillow by enhabiten

I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that one of the main reasons I pick up a magazine, or read a design/style blog is for the photos. Oh, the photos! Not only do they offer inspiration, but it's also so lovely to dream about living in all these beautiful spaces created by very talented art deparments, editors and professional stagers. And, that's just it, they're created. Sometimes we do get a peek into people's homes, but quite often the little vignettes we see are put together just for that photo shoot, and purely by the fact that we do pick up these magazines and dream about diving into the living spaces, we know they've done their jobs well.

Styling your product photos is so important, as it shows off the item you're selling in the best possible way, and helps to create a desire in browsers to want to attain it. The good news is, you don't have to work for a fancy magazine in order to style your products well, anyone can do it really, and one of the best parts about that is, those who buy your items will feel like they can create beautiful homes, outfits or displays with your products also. Here's some tips on Stylin' 101 (along with more drool-worthy photos..).

floral cotton lawn needle case by fieldguided

1. Signature Style

One of the ways I am most likely to remember an Etsy store is through their photos, especially if they have managed to communicate a really strong sense of their style. What is your aesthetic? Do you like a sleek and simple look? What colour palettes are you drawn to? Are you into Scandinavian design or folk art? Or is an eclectic collection of vintage curiosities more your thing? Take a look around your house, inspiration board, magazine collection and of course the products you make, and you should have a pretty good idea of the answer to this question. Start collecting props that speak to the design style you have in mind - fabric, buttons, pillows, cameras, plates, kitchen utensils, stationary, flowers, furniture...anything! When I started staging photos for Bliss in a Teacup, I used all things that were already on display or in use in my house, as naturally they already reflected my design sense. You only need a few things that you can rotate throughout your various product shots. By doing this with both your props, colours you include and choices of background, you're going to create a sense of cohesiveness and continuity in your store, and in turn create a visual impression on browsers. Another great place to find props is while thrifting, and of course you can also use your other products!

top left: linen pincushion by namolio, top right: mugs in blueberry by skinnylaminx

bottom left: vintage hardsider suitcase by ethanollie, bottom right: wild badger cufflinks by makeit

2. Center Stage

Now that you have an idea of what props you'll be using, it's time to stage your photos. Again, this comes down to personal preference. Some people like to keep it really simple with little to no props, or just a background of some sort. Some people (myself included) like to create little scenes or vignettes around a particular product, in the way someone might display it in their home. Remember, this is your shop window! Try to choose props or backgrounds that don't overwhelm your product, so that whatever you're selling is still the focus of the shot. Also, think about what props go well with what you're selling and enhance people's understanding of what it is. For example, a bookmark might be sitting atop an old vintage novel, that delicious smelling vanilla soap would look great with some white blossoms and vanilla beans nearby, and the sweet little coin purse you've sewn may have a few coins, some lip balm or your keys peeking out. Your items don't necessarily have to be in use, think of it like a window display with a collection of things arranged together to tell a story (right about now I highly recommend taking a peek at the amazing Three Potato Four if you haven't already, I guarantee you will be inspired by their beautiful product photography and styling!).

Now that you've played around with staging, you're going to want to decide if you want to go for a close up or wide shot. Or both! Again, no rules but a close up or tight shot might be reserved for smaller objects such as jewellery (and also close ups of detail on big items) and a wide shot for your larger items (and the little vignettes you create). If you are photographing small items using a tighter shot, consider just using an interesting background and leave it at that. Things like old books, lightly patterned or textured fabric, tablecloths, doilies, wooden surfaces (tables, desks, cutting boards), wallpaper and stationary all provide a little bit of interest without overwhelming smaller products. If you do want to add a few props or photograph your small items with a wider shot, I would recommend (physically) setting your product slightly apart from the props and focus in on the product, much like what Anabela has done with her needle case up there.

top left: custom Circle The Date tee via chakrapennywhistle, top right: Equinox Flat via HydraHeart bottom: Cable Knit Mug Cozy via waysideviolet

3. Use it or lose it.

So, I know I just said that you don't have to photograph your products in use, doing so is not only an easy way to style your photos, but it also helps your potential customers fully understand what you're selling. This is especially so with clothing or anything where they might want to see how something fits. It also enables customers to imagine themselves wearing or using it, or how it could fit in their house, on their wall or couch. In terms of clothing having a model always helps, but it is definitely not a necessity. There are many online stores that don't do this and their clothes still look fantastic. Take a look at Dear Golden Vintage or Allen Company Inc. who use both dress forms and coat hangers to show off their vintage wares. Super simple, but they do the job well. You could even try something similar but also include a few props. Perhaps a picture or two on the wall, a little side table with books and trinkets on it, or a stack of suitcases.

left: Briefcase in Russet Brown via jennydesign, right: The Emperor Seat via StillNovoDesign

4. White Out

Up until now, I've worked from the assumption that you want to use backgrounds, props and sets. However there is some really beautiful and simple product photography out there using just a simple while background or lightbox. The good thing about this type of product shot is that your products really stand out and pop, but for me I find it just a little bit trickier. This is mostly because your photos need to both have great lighting, and be really crisp and clear as the product is the entire focus of the shot. It's most definitely not impossible though! A tripod and a bit of practice should be all you need!

Thigh High Lace Up Legwarmers by Sannica

I hope this post has been helpful for you all, if even just to give you the inspiration and confidence to work on your product photos. My final and most important tip is this, there are no rules. There is no right or wrong way to style your photos. I've had both praise and criticism for my product photography, and when it comes down to it, I can only go with photos that I love and am happy with. With all the great photography out there, there is a definite temptation to try and emulate other sellers, and while there is nothing wrong with this people want to see your point of view and will respond to the styling that you really love. Good luck friends, I'm sure you'll all be great!

New Collections: With Wallpaper

2009-11-17T00:14:00.000-08:00

by Mandy of withwallpaper.etsy.com

Speaking of collecting this week, we loved Mandy's post and her prints featured on the The Handmade Artist this week and thought it was fitting to bring here.

These new limited edition giclee prints have been inspired by the things we unconsciously collect around the house. The spare keys put in a drawer for safe keeping, the buttons off clothes, the coins from overseas holidays.
I have discovered I'm an avid collector without even knowing it!
This is an ongoing series of 'Found Objects' prints available here in my shop.

Shop: withwallpaper.etsy.com
Website/Blog: withwallpaper.blogspot.com
Poppytalk Handmade Table: No. 33

Inspiration: Collecting

2009-11-16T00:25:00.000-08:00

ethanollie

Earlier this fall we were inspired by all the colours that you folks uploaded to our Autumn Colour Week flickr pool that we thought we'd give it a go this week with collections and see if we had any bites out there. So the plan is, (if you're game), to upload your beloved collections to our Poppytalk Collectors Pool on flickr and then as the week goes by each day we'll pick a few on either a theme, colour or atmosphere (if that makes sense) and post them here! We're excited to see what happens, and do hope you'll join us! Click here to get inspired!

Heather Smith Jones

Hula Seventy

Cat Collier

ethanollie

Perfectbound

Hula Seventy

Handmade Nation DVD Now Available

2009-11-16T00:06:00.000-08:00

We're excited to hear (and sure you are too) that the Handmade Nation documentary DVD is now available for wholesale and retail through the fine folks at Buyolympia.com. Just in time for the holidays to buy your crafter buddy a little handmade love that'll go along way in inspiration and motivation. I think it's one of those films that you can turn on whenever you need a little boost or push to help you over anything (from writer's block to sore thimble fingers)! Click here to buy online and here to see the November and December screening schedule!

Also for those of you in the Milwaukee area meet Faythe at Art vs. Craft on Saturday November 28th.

Handmade Nation
Buyolympia.com

2010 Calendar Round-Up: Daisy Janie

2009-11-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

A new calendar to add to our round-up from Jan DiCintio's, Daisy Janie shop. An eco-friendly (offset printed with FSC & Ecologo Certified) 2010 calendar with big squares on big pages (11" x 17") - perfect for scheduling each day and also features a section at the top for jotting things to schedule, remember, call about and shop for. The underlying motivation for designing the calendar as she did is organization. Jan tells us she always found herself scribbling notes and numbers in the margins of their calendar, and she created a big ‘ole note-jotting section at the top of each month just for that purpose! And it has awesome illustrations to inspire us! Yay Jan!

Link to etsy section: Daisy Janie Calendars
Link to etsy listing: Daisy Janie Etsy Shop
Link to main website: daisyjanie.com