ELF

Thursday, November 29, 2012

HT Designs

An Interview with Hannah Trogdon of HT Designs

ELF: What got you started crafting/creating?
Hannah: My wonderful crazy Mother! She had taken some metal smithing classes at Penland, and had fallen in love. We had different projects we would work on, her showing me techniques and what not, and then she suggested we take a class at NC State together. We did! And once I saw the possibilities working with metal opened up, I too, fell in love.

ELF: So, how long have you been designing jewery?
Hannah: I guess I have been working with metals for about 5/6 years now. I have had times of very little creative output, followed by surges of mass creative madness. But no matter the ebb nor flow, I have always been able to adorn my friends for the holidays

Constanza Wears

An interview with Constanza Diaz
ELF: What got you started crafting/creating?
Constanza: My family took a road trip to Miami and my sister wanted to take advantage of the time spent in the car and asked my mom to teach her how to knit. My sister was only about 20 at the time and my uncle kept picking on her, calling her an old lady. While he was picking on her I was thinking, "how cool is that?" I got my mom to teach me how to crochet about a week later.

ELF: Where did your (company) name come from?
Constanza: We had a dinner party at my house one night. One of my friends started to leave and then came rushing back looking for the hat and scarf that I made her and said, "Oh no, I almost forgot my Constanza wares." I thought it was cute, so I named my business Constanza Wears.

WAYO

An interview with Emily Waszak of WAYO

ELF: What got you started crafting/creating?

Emily: When I was in the 2nd grade I begged my mother for a pair of JAMS, but she said no because they were too expensive. Instead, she took me to Piece Goods (remember that store?) and we bought some fabric and a pattern and she helped me sew my very first garment. I've pretty much been sewing ever since.

ELF: How long have you been crafting/creating?

Emily: Since 2nd grade. I really got into sewing when I was in Jr. High and High School. I used to make my clothes. I also, I am slightly embarrassed to admit, used to make dresses and hippie shirts and sell them at Grateful Dead shows.

ELF: Where did your brand name come from?

Emily: WAYO (pronounced WAH-YOH) comes from the Japanese word, wayosecchu, which means a blending of Japanese and Western styles.

An interview with Shannon Bailey

ELF: What got you started crafting/creating?
Shannon: My father was an artist and growing up my parents always encouraged me creatively. I was free to try anything that interested me; I will always be very grateful for this.

ELF: How long have you been crafting/creating?
Shannon: My whole life, I guess. As I got older, I realized that what I really liked was making functional arts and crafts.

ELF: Where did your name come from?
Shannon: I don't really have a company name, but I did name my soaps after my dog, a self-important Chihuahua named Olive. She is my constant companion when I am crafting, it seemed appropriate.

Our great Vendors for ELF 2012!

Amanda Barr/Golden Hiccups
Anna Crawford
Brilliant Handmade
Brooke Brucke Soaps
Comstanza Diaz
Cupcake Science
Danielle Baumgartner
Erin Griffin Silversmith
Eric Hanan Woodworking
Flytrap
Green City Bottles
Hannah Trogdon Jewelry
Heather Gerni
Hello Tenfold
James Ward Pottery
Jamie McPhail
Jane Robinson
Jason Abide Pottery
Katherin Whalen
Leopold Designs
Little Foxes
Lulu Julian Baked Goods
Mandey Brown
Matt Smith Pottery
Mazie Summers Soap
Mi Scusi Hand Made
Olivia Hjermitslev
Posy Market
Riverbasin Outfitters
Reciprocities
Shannon Bailey's Soaps
Soliel Bookbindery
Tara Konkel Knits
Unique Boutique
WAYO (Emily Waszak)
and various artists from the ArtsCenter's Ceramics Studio

Santa will also be there! Take your own photos with him!(free)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Amanda Barr!

An interview with Amanda Barr (Golden Hiccups), the awesome founder of ELF.

ELF: What got you interested in crafting/creating?
Amanda: My dad Ted Barr was an artist/oil painter and I always knew I wanted to make art, and my mom was always being creative for Valentines, or Christmas, we were always creating projects in the home.

ELF: Where does your name Golden Hiccups come from?
Amanda: I like the way Japanese translations to English sound so poetic sometimes, like 'Today your waterfall is filled with smiles' and stuff like that, and so I thought making little art projects was like a golden hiccup.

What's up Posy Market?

An interview with Laura Browning of Posy Market

ELF: What got you started crafting/creating?

Laura: I needed a creative outlet and some "me" time.

ELF: How long have you been crafting/creating?

Laura: I've been crafting since childhood, but I've been crafting "professionally" for 2 years.

ELF: Where did your (company) name come from?

Laura: Posy came from a British book I was reading where the main girl puts together a posy for a visiting guest's bedside table. Love that it's a collection of this and that!

An interview with Pam Brady, Mazie Summers Soaps

ELF: Where did your (company) name come from?

Pam: I named my company Mazie Summers Soap after my paternal grandmother, Mazie. She was born in 1904 and had nine children. She was thrifty, hard-working and definitely adhered to the rule of "Use it up, Make it do, or do without."

ELF: How long have you been crafting/creating?

Pam: I've been making soap and soap-related products for four years after I decided to try soap one year for Christmas gifts.

Monday, November 12, 2012

An interview with Erin Griffin Silversmith

ELF: How long have you been crafting/creating?

Erin: Since as long as I can remember, but I only started taking it seriously when I went to school for it eight years ago.

ELF: Where did your brand name come from?

Erin: I chose to use my name because it just felt the most honest. I chose to use the word silversmith instead of jeweler because I wanted to make a distinction between the craft and the craftsmanship of my work.