etsy finds

My apologies for the missing interview today, and the etsy finds a day late. I've got a laundry list of things to accomplish this weekend.

Paper Laundry by sparklepants $35


Hangin Around by seasprayblue $19


Fancy Clothespins by nurserylove $5


Lovely Little Laundry Line by Olive $24


Wool Dryer Balls by scire4 $9


Sunnyland Coin Laundry by Theblues $8

Natural Laundry Soap by showertreatsoap $20


In the Gentle Breeze by peoniesandpolaroids $35

girl's night out

My friend Natalie and I went to the movies last night at the newly renovated Kabuki Theater. It was my first time, and was I ever impressed. To be honest, I'm not much of a movie goer. It costs a lot, the movies tend to suck- it's just not my thing. But, this theater has a bar, reserved seating, bistro style food, and comfortable seats. The movie was meh, but the experience was fantastic. With the exception of the historic Castro Theater, I'm never going anywhere else again.

alli is 5

Bug turned 5 today. Here's a quick look back. Check out the one from her birthday part on Saturday where's she's telling Lulu not to help her blow out the candles.

getting to know you #7

Happy rainy Sunday. Amanda Kidregan is here to tell us about her amazing art. If you ever have a kid's room to decorate, she's your go to shop. Of course some of us without kids might just want it for ourselves.

please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art.
My name is Amanda Kindregan and I’m a painter and printmaker with a BFA in Painting from the University of Washington. I sell my work on Etsy and at a few galleries and shops, as well as at the occasional arts and crafts show (such as Seattle’s I Heart Rummage). I live in Duvall, Washington (a darling little town about an hour from Seattle) with my husband and two daughters.


describe your creative/creating process.
I am inspired by the people in my life especially my kids and husband, music, nature, books I am reading, decorating magazines, pop culture, and other artists’ work past and present. I work at home in a little corner studio off of our kitchen; because I paint in the house I use only waterbased, non-toxic paints and inks. I used to use oils but in trying out different waterbased mediums, I happily discovered gouache which I love. It’s got a lovely creamy consistency and matte finish, dries very quickly, and no nasty fumes! I also make block prints and screen prints; both are processes that I really enjoy. Carving a block is very satisfying..like sculpture and drawing and painting all at the same time. And screen printing is just plain fun…plus I love the inherent graphic quality of a screen printed image.


what are your favorite places to shop (both on and off etsy)?
Thrift stores, Utrecht, Daniel Smith, and of course Etsy
Some of my favorite Etsy shops are YeeHaw, mattestephens, vivstrauss, ifop, apak, and heidiburton.

how do you describe your personal style?
The style of my artwork? It is hard to describe my own style! I guess it’s a mix of 1950’s-60’s-70’s children’s book illustration-type images; sweet and with a sense of humor, and a bit dark sometimes. If the question was pertaining to my personal decorating or shopping style, I suppose the same answer could apply.


what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?
Be original in your ideas and/or designs, while paying attention to basic trends that are popular and selling well. It’s a joy to make work that compliments things that have inspired you, but not so nice to outright copy another artist’s work. And be very organized-keep careful records of all sales, purchases, business-related mileage, etc.

name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.
emailing, reading, cooking, cleaning, thinking about artwork if not making it


what is your ideal day?
A day with no appointments or rushing about for anything…it’s amazing how quickly a day goes by and I often find I haven’t done half of the things I’ve wanted to do! A perfect day for me would include checking my email to find one or more Etsy sales, spending a couple of hours painting or making prints, a walk around town or yoga in my living room, plenty of time reading or playing or doing arts and crafts with my kids (or all of the above), and watching a movie with my husband after the girls are asleep.


tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
I can be a bit of a neat-freak. I often feel a pressing need to organize my papers, art supplies, daughters’ toys, closets, pantry, etc.

etsy finds

I'm in a bit of a rush this morning as I've got 24 cupcakes to decorate before 11. We're celebrating Alli's fifth birthday today. I took a good look at her yesterday and couldn't quite believe how big she is now. We had high tea with a few of my friends before Christmas and it was such a hit we decided to have a tea party for her birthday. I've taken that theme to the finds today. Have some Lady Grey and peruse.

Teacup Series No.3 by keriherer $10


Linen "T" Towel by spinspin $15


Tea Time Gocco Print by bridbird $14


Custom Organic Tea Tin by SarahShannonDesign $2.50


Tempest in a Teacup by couragemylove $25


Mugs Screen Print by jenskelley $30

eating lemons

I know it's mean to give lemons to kids, but oh the faces! Actually, Grace loved it and kept asking for more. Em finally threw hers in the trash can.

what a difference a color makes

I'm trying to work on the images for our Etsy shops, and getting new background paper was an important step. It's amazing how much the color can change the entire look of the product. Any favorites?

getting to know you #6

please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art.
My name is Kristen Chick and I am a printmaker living in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. My two favorite printmaking techniques are linoleum and Gocco. In addition to selling my paper goods on etsy, I do a lot of custom work such as wedding invitations, baby announcements, pet portraits and advertising for local businesses. I just launched a new version of my website with more about what I do! www.floating-palace.com


describe your creative/creating process.
I am most inspired by plants and animals. I usually start with a photograph, either one I take or one I find. Then I sketch, then I scan, then I Photoshop, then I transfer (or carve, depending on the medium) then I print. For my linoleum prints, I either hand print with mounted linoleum or use my mini-press with unmounted linoleum. Gocco is a Japanese silk screening system that has spawned a huge following, and yet is possibly going the way of Polaroid: obsolescence. I can and will switch over to more conventional silk screening if Gocco supplies go away completely. But I love the way Gocco allows me to add a variety of color to a single screen. There is nothing quite like it.



what are your favorite places to shop (both on and off etsy)?
On Etsy:
I lovingly curate my “favorites”… the items list. There are so many beautiful things to see, and somehow they all seem to go together so beautifully. Two of my favorite etsy artists are mamabetsy (I own several of her pieces and wear one particular bracelet regularly) and rozssaxseattle (I have a fancy scarf of hers with a crocheted flower on it that ALWAYS gets me compliments!)


Off Etsy:
Daniel Smith – we Seattleites are so lucky to have this art supply store in our city. They are big enough to have almost everything but small enough to care.
Uwajimaya – this is an Asian grocery store chain in the Northwest. Not only can you get interesting ramens, the freshest bok choy, and delicious lunches there, but they also have a bookstore with cool Japanese pens and irresistible papers.


how do you describe your personal style?
I invented a word to describe the style of my home: Ikeaclectic.
Personally, I try to look like a creative, artistic professional without being the wacky lady in the crazy homemade hat. Sometimes it’s a fine line…



what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?
Get good advice but filter it well: don’t substitute anyone else's judgment for your own.


name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.
1. Coffee is an essential morning kick-starter.
2. Newspaper: I prefer the old-school kind that you can read without a screen.
3. I draw or doodle or print something every day.
4. I do the New York Times crossword puzzle every day (Saturday trips me up sometimes though.)
5. Flossing. For real.


what is your ideal day?
I’m not sure exactly the storyline, but it would involve a boat, popcorn, my boyfriend, my kittycat, printing, being outside, a little sunshine, a little rain, adventures, swimming, reading, drawing and root beer. And then it would probably end up at The Tin Hat, my favorite neighborhood dive. With Elvis Costello. And Bob Dylan.

tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
I was once a white water rafting guide on the Colorado River.