Deadhead Art Alliance Artist of the Month – April – Chelsy Harper – Store – Ocean Tide Creations

My name is Chelsy Harper and I’m the lady who is responsible for Ocean Tide Creations store on Etsy. I’m a proud member of the Deadhead Art Alliance and I’m located in The Mountains of NorCal.

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Ocean Tide Creations sells Big Sur Jade Pendants,  Big Sur Jade Wire Wraps, Hand Made Bags, Purses, Patches, and Hand Made Wood Burned Pictures with the purpose To pass along positive energy through art and creation

All of my jewelry is handmade and the stones I find myself. I found the Jade between 2009-2013 when I lived south of Big
Sur and then the pieces of jewelry you see are also Handmade by myself On the hill or on the road.
After hunting for years in Big Sur I took some of my best finds and turned them into one of a kind hand made jewelry. I drilled all the holes myself and all of the pieces were ocean polished, nothing was polished by hand.
All of the fabric I use has come from up cycled material. All the wood worked pictures were hand cut rounds from Oak off of our property in Northern California and burnt by me.

I Met my Boyfriend 6 years ago and headed out on dead tour, ended up spending winters in Big Sur hunting Jade and summers in  Mendo doin the organic garden thing and meeting interesting people. Some girls made clothing and others did different crafts. On one particular trip up to big sur, we picked up this lady hitch hiking, her name was K. She showed me how to wire wrap in exchange for a ride. That was about 2 years ago and that is how i learned to wire wrap 🙂 everything else is self taught really.

My dad has always been into making things. When i was a kid he used to carve and decorate eggs, that is the first craft i remember thinking was really cool as a kid.
My favorite piece of jewelry I’ve so far made is the jade hat pins, they were really interesting to try and figure out how to wrap.

Right now im really loving making my newborn daughter little sundresses! I think I’m going to make some to add to my Etsy soon! What inspired me in the beginning )started off as nature, music, and traveling. but now is centered around my daughter.

What makes my creating interesting for me is the hunting for the jade in big sur- climbing down the cliffs, getting down onto the beach and searching for those beautiful shining pieces of jade! I love it. And any jewelry i make I just love imagining it and making it happen. Its a proud feeling when you have made something with your own hands and it turns out the way you imagined or even better!

When things get hard I just keeping creating and having fun with what i do and it gets me through.  As of recently i just take care of my baby girl! and we go for walks and just be outside.

favorite quote
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert Einstein

 First festival i ever went to was High Sierra in 2009 with my boyfriend and some friends. We stayed for 2 days, snuck over the fence twice, because we got kicked out the first time. I remember this girl there who made lighter covers with beads and she was making one that look exactly like Jerrys face! It was awesome.

The first dead show i went to was in 2009 also in Denver, Co. at the botanical gardens. Took us 2 or 3 days gas jugging to get there. It was an amazing trip getting there and on the first night at the show i got a miracle and got in! I remember Jack Straw was playing as i was running in 🙂 My boyfriend had to sneek in. And we were searching for each other and finally i saw him, and They started playing standing on the moon, that was our first song together 🙂 We continued tour, gas juggling the whole way and selling 1$ grilled cheese and PBR and made it all the way back to Eugene, Oregon. It had a definite change on me and the way i lived 🙂

I cant imagine life without music or creating things or family 🙂 All these things inspire me to create
In the future  I would just like to get more stuff in my shop, hopefully make more clothing. and be able to actually make a living out of creating things i love for other people 🙂

Selling Venues:

Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/OceanTideCreations

Artist Contact info:

email- Chelshar1@gmail.com

Social Media Links:

etsy- https://www.etsy.com/shop/OceanTideCreations
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/oceantidecreations

Thank you Chelsy for being a wonderful member of our team and best to you and the future with your new family and Ocean Tide Creations – The Deadhead Art Alliance Team

Deadhead Art Alliance Artist of the Month – March –Courtney – Store – HempHugs

Hemp Hugs

Hi My name is Courtney, I’m 24 and my shop is Hemp Hugs which I started as an Etsy shop in October 2010. 

I consider my boyfriend Rich a member of Hemp Hugs too – we’ve been together a little

over 8 years & he’s been a huge part of making our business happen!

I mostly make hemp jewelry and Rich did wire wraps for about 2 years

and just recently started blowing glass.

 

I remember being young and inspired by my aunt had always been into arts & crafts. For as long as I remember, she was

always making things for my cousins and I.  She would use fabric paint on shoes,

dresses, hats, shirts,etc for us and I LOVED them. I used to go over her house all the

time & make stuff with her.  My favorite thing to do was make beaded jewelry with

pony beads & elastic cord.

In high school I bought my first hemp necklace.  It was so plain & basic & I

remember thinking to myself  “I can do this, but make it look way cooler!”

I discovered etsy.com and found people making a living from making hemp jewelry.  One shop

in mind sticks out, Psysub Hemp on Etsy, I was SO inspired by their beautiful

jewelry it made me want to learn how to make my own style.  I went

to the craft store & bought a macrame book, some basic natural hemp, and called

the only friend I knew that actually knew anything about macrame and showed me

the basic flat knot and that was it.. from there I pretty much taught myself.  I discovered colored

hemp and went nuts from there.

” I fell in love with macrame. ”

My love for macrame started a new life for me.  From my first job working restaurants at

age 16 to the time I quit my last job at age 20, I worked at 7 different places (6 of

them were restaurants).  I had decided I no longer wanted to work for a corporate

business or really anyone but myself so Rich and I took a week

off work & went to a music festival where we talked to a couple food vendors who

said they hadn’t worked a ‘real job’ in 12 years.  They seemed so happy.  They got

to do what they wanted whenever they wanted AND got paid for it!  That was it for

me.  Over the next year, Rich & I saved our money to start our own small business.

In May of 2010, I was working 3 jobs, while Rich was a kitchen manager at a local

chain restaurant.  Neither of us were happy with what we were doing.  He went into

work one morning in a Grateful Dead t-shirt, turned his keys into the general

manager & basically said “i quit”.  I quit my job at 2 of the restaurants I was working

at, and a month later walked out of my job at a movie theater.  Best decision we

both ever made.

Things changed for me after I went to my first music festival.

From that moment I was hooked. I loved

EVERYTHING about them..the music, the vibe, the art, the feeling of being

whoever you want & not being judged.  

Music is definitely one of my main inspirations. I am a huge fan of the Grateful Dead & have lots of GD

 inspired charms & pendants.  I’m also inspired by the other talented macrame artists out

there.  There’s a group on Facebook just for macrame artists to share tips, get

advice, trade supplies, and just encourage each other and it’s been a big

inspiration for me. 

One of my greatest memories is of our very first time vending. It was Classic Fest 2010 at Nelson Ledges

Quarry Park. We had an EZ­up and 2 tables.

One table had all of my jewelry.

I was even making hemp jewelry which I had scattered all over the table. No displays of any kind, just a

mess of jewelry and

some camping necessities like TP, flashlights, rain ponchos, etc. We also had

boxes of movie posters..from working at a movie theater, I got the advantage of taking

all the posters they got, otherwise they would just throw them away. Most of them

were awful movies that mostly never even made it to theaters lol. We barely made

enough money that weekend to cover our tickets to the event + vending fee. We

almost gave up on vending altogether after that.

So glad we didn’t!

We now have a 20×30 setup right next to the stage at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, with at

least 6 tables FULL of merchandise, 6+ handmade necklace boards full of my

hemp jewelry, clothes racks, grid walls, display cases.. it’s truly amazing to see

how far we’ve come in a few years.

Hemp Hugs expanded from being just

an online Etsy shop to a vending business, setting up at various music

festivals at our local venue, Nelson Ledges Quarry Park and recently we’ve also started

setting up at different concerts for a local Youngstown band, Jones for

Revival.

 

As a hemp artist, I try to use the best quality of products available. I use 100%

natural hemp twine in a wide variety of colors. I have about 7 cases full of a variety

of beads (wood, glass, gemstone, ceramic, etc), pendants, charms, cabochons,

and other supplies. Trying to decide what to make is sometimes more of a

challenge than actually making something – lol.  I spend most of my time creating in my living room, either

listening to some music or watching shows & documentaries on Netflix.  

With the more intricate designs, I almost never plan it

out first.  I usually just pick out some colors & just go with the flow of what I feel fits

that piece just right.

I have a small macrame board that I use to hold my piece in place while I create so Once I decide on a pendant or bead

I want to use, I match up the colors of hemp that I think would accent the piece(s)

well and then from there, I decide if I want to spend hours creating an intricate, one of a

kind piece or keep it simple. 

 

We met our business partners, Gary & Lourie (local glassblowers

who have their own small business, Glass and Stuff) in 2012 and have been

vending music festivals with them ever since.

 

This past November we all got together with two other friends, Zak & Whitney (they have a small business as

well called Estimated Prospect where they sell stones, crystals & minerals) and

we opened up a store here in Ohio called Higher Minds.  We all travel & vend

together at NLQP -Nelson Ledges Quary Park – every spring/summer.  Our goal is to support as many local

artists & small businesses as possible.  Our store Higher Minds is full of local

hand blown glass, my handmade hemp jewelry, handmade clothing, tie dyes,

tapestries, all natural beauty products (made here in Ohio), and so much

more and are mostly all from friends & local artists.  If it wasn’t for Rich & I starting up

Hemp Hugs & traveling to shows, Higher Minds would potentially not exist.

It’s basically 3 small businesses joined together as one.

 

 

My favorite piece of art I’ve ever made is one I just recently made; a bracelet cuff that honestly blew my mind when I was

finished.  I had a labradorite cab & some matching beads set aside for months. I

knew I wanted to make something spectacular with them, but didn’t know what

until I recently learned a new macrame technique for wrapping stones. MANY

knots later, I was so impressed with what I had created, I got a little emotional

when I was done.

 

My boyfriend, definitely helps keep me going when things get tough.

There have been countless times when I get myself down because maybe my Etsy sales have dropped a little from last month or for some

reason I don’t feel I’m doing my best….and he’s right there telling me otherwise,

assuring me that everything is ok.  Also my friends & family’s undying support of

what I do definitely keeps me going.

I’ve also found nature & being outdoors to be very inspiring. 

In my down time, when I’m not crafting, traveling, or working at the store I enjoy

just hanging out at home with my boyfriend & our animals (1 dog & 2 kitties) or

having a couple good beers with some friends (preferably around a campfire!)

 Nice to meet you!

 

favorite quotes

I have a lot of them!!!!

“if you get confused, listen to the music play”

“a box of rain will ease the pain & love will see you through”

“once in awhile you get shone the light in the strangest of places if you look at it

right”

“i’m gonna love the life I live & i’m gonna live the life I love”

oh boy lol.. so many stories come to mind, I would be typing for hours haha.

 

When asked…   Is there something about you as an artist that you would like the world to

know?  she said this

“I’m a self­ taught macrame artist with big dreams.  I never give up on something I’m

passionate about and I absolutely love what I do & will continue to push myself Furthur”

(~);}

I’m beyond grateful with how much our small business has grown. I only see it

getting bigger from here & hope to one day have Higher Minds stores across the

country and possibly even the world.  But for now, I couldn’t be happier with where

we are at 🙂

Selling Venues:

Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Garrettsville,Ohio (every music festival from April-
October)

Clay’s Park in Canton, Ohio for the Ville Music Festival

I also have a lot of my hemp jewelry available at our store Higher Minds in

Champion, Ohio.

Artist Contact info:

e­mail cschin4200@yahoo.com

Social Media Links:

www.facebook.com/hemphugs

www.etsy.com/shop/hemphugs

instagram­ @hemphugs

 

Forever Grateful, Deadhead Art Alliance Team

Deadhead Art Alliance Artist of the Month – February –Cherri and Frank – Store – HippyFranks

HippyFranks

Frank and Cherry shown at Haight Ashbury Street Fair Representing the DHAA Team with Captain Jen & Sumanasa Pixie

Hello!
We are Frank and Cherri, two aging nonconformist throwbacks of the
60’s.  Frank and I are proud members of the Deadhead Art Alliance on
Etsy.  We are two avid gypsies traveling up and down the U.S. west coast
in our RV along with our two dogs Gaia and Gandhi.

We are proud to have two Etsy Shops.  Barefoot Garb is more of a fun
girlie festival fashion shop, which is filled with brightly colored hoop
dance costumes.  We are working on expanding our line here, so that you
can find a complete festie costume for both mommy and baby.

Hippy Franks has more of an earthy comfy vibe.  We really try to offer more
options in this shop for the fellas with vegan rasta tam’s, cotton wide
leg pants, and hand dyed re-purposed mens shirts.

Frank
and I have a simple life trying to live our lives in the most
sustainable fashion we can.  While it is not always possible we do
re-purpose whenever possible and used components which are vegan
friendly.

Frank and I work well together (and regularly have differences of opinion)
often times collaborating and bouncing our ideas off of each other.
There are not enough hours in the day for either one of us to bring all
of our ideas into fruition.  I typically see great ideas in my dreams, which are always reminiscent of
the look popular during my youth in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Frank has acquired a great passion for tie-dye and is always coming up with
new ideas for using his technique on re-purposed clothing items.

Our studio is a 40’ motor home which we use to travel up and down the west
coast.  It has been a challenge, to say the least; Always finding new
ways to efficiently store our supplies and creations.  We have learned
over time, for us the best way to overcome this issue is to gravitate
towards more “made to order” items.  We make a grand effort to hold true to our beliefs in all that we do,
and craft items which are eco-friendly and vegan.  In our shops you will
typically find clothing and accessory items crafted with cotton
fabrics, vegan yarns, and re-purposed/up-cycled components.

As a student I
took any and all art classes that were available to me, and I cannot
think of any form of art I have not participated in.
I have spent at least the last five years getting by without the need for
a day job.  Frank and I have sold a great deal at open air markets for
years, basically about anything we could make with our own two hands.
We have sold not only handmade crafts, but home canned goods, fermented foods, homemade goat cheese, and our own goat milk.
I come from a long line of farm folks who made everything, and I mean
everything.  Thinking way back I do remember chickens in the backyard,
but by the time I was born the raising of any other livestock had long
since passed. I was born and raised in San Joaquin Valley, CA once known for being the
breadbasket of America.  There was so much abundance that our family did
not need to grow much food, rather we worked hard gleaning the fields
after harvest.  We canned and froze all of our veggies and grandfather
hunted for our meat.  All of my clothing was handmade by gramma, and by the time I was a teenager I was sewing my own school clothes.

my younger days I crafted handmade rag dolls, which I thoroughly
enjoyed crafting.  I miss those days.  My house literally looked like a
factory.  Honestly, looking back now I have no idea how I did it.  I had three small
children, and huge contracts to fill.  I was quite pleased with my
accomplishments, as many of the big box stores were carrying my dolls.

I find inspiration everywhere.  Literally everywhere.  I don’t know if
music inspires me, but it sure does motivate me.  I enjoy listening to
classic rock and old school R&B while I am working.  It motivates me
tremendously, uplifts my mood, and I tend to accomplish so much more
and with greater ease when I am listening to my tunes.  Crafting has always been a part of my life, like eating and sleeping.

I really don’t know of any other way to be… I love every aspect of what I do.  I
rather feel as though something is missing if I am in a situation which
leaves me unable to create.
I think my most motivating factor is the feeling I get when a buyer tells
me how much they really love their new piece.   Whether it be on Etsy
or at an outdoor market there are no words to describe this feeling.

We have a lot of ebbs and flows in our business, and like most of our
friends who have chosen this life we are not getting rich.  The hard
times are really a state of mind.  I mean, let’s face it, for the
artisan times are always hard.

I cannot say that I never worry about tomorrow, because I do.  I do not,
however dwell on this.  Getting out one of my books of Edgar Cayce
readings always helps me bounce back.  And, if times start to look
really bleak I pull out the Four Agreements and I am good.

“The Four Agreements
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best. ”
― Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

Frank and I spend a tremendous amount of time with our grandchildren.  We met
later in life and due to life circumstances, each of us feels that we
were not able to spend as much quality time with our children as we
would have liked.

I am seeing this pattern now with my adult children.  It seems to be
unavoidable.  Too much to do.  With that said, both Frank and I are
committed to being a huge part of our grandchildren’s lives.

My favorite quote, and the words I am always striving to live by is

“Be The Change You Wish To See In The World.”

I remember my first concert like it was yesterday.  I had a HUGE
infatuation for Michael Jackson from the first time I saw him on Ed
Sullivan I was in love!  When I was 12 the Jackson Five came to town.  I come from a family of very
conservative people, and convincing my parents to let me go to this was a
big task.  I did, however finally convince them and my father was able
to swing “Star Isle” front row seats at the Circle Star Theater in
Redwood City.  Whoa, front row at the Circle Star.  And the group was to
enter the stage area right past me to boot.  Yep, that night was
magical.  I don’t know if Michael entered the audience many more times after that,
but he did enter the audience that night and it was amazing.

Brian Ross/Chronicle 1986

I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to share my passion with you.
your dreams for your store for the future if you like to add this
I am an avid believer in community.  Because of so many changes in this
world, I feel that we have lost touch with our true nature.  Most of us
feel helpless and alone, and have been so conditioned that we choose to
take whatever obstacles life throws in front of us with indifference.

It seems as though the universe does not fail to provide us with such
obstacles once we begin to feel “comfortable”  I truly believe that this
is spirit saying, “hello, wake-up, stop the complacency” Separatism
really is not working well in this world.  I feel that it was an
informative experiment, but that it is time to get back to our true
roots of sharing and caring.

Selling Venues:
Incense and Peppermints
http://www.incenseandpeppermints.us/

Barefoot Garb on Etsy
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarefootGarb

Hippy Franks on Etsy
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HippyFranks

Artist Contact info:
spiritherbs@mail.com

Social Media Links:

Pinterest: Incense and Peppermints
https://www.pinterest.com/cherryherbs/

Twitter:  Incense and Peppermints
https://twitter.com/GypsySeamstress

Facebook:  Hippy Franks
https://www.facebook.com/HippyFranks

Tumblr:  Barefoot Garb
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/barefootgarb

Thank you Cherry and Frank for being wonderful leaders and great support for this team..

Forever Grateful, Deadhead Art Alliance Team

Deadhead Art Alliance Artist of the Month – January –Selena Gribbin Barefoot – Store – aRecurringDream

Selena Photo Credit: Ashley Gribbin

Hello! My name is Selena and my shop is ‘a recurring dream‘. I am

a stay at home mom living in the suburbs of Pittsburgh with my husband and our

two children.

My shop takes materials that are unwanted from my local

community and I have been making quality home goods and accessories,

and started adding clothing this year.

As a young woman, I had sewn patchwork dresses, skirts, bags, purses,

etc for many years that I would vend at local concert lots and festivals.

In my mid 20’s I wanted to move to the city and started working for a

young restaurant group. I grew into adulthood along side an innovative

and maturing local restaurant group that emphasized the importance of

farm to table food, craft beer and spirits, and embracing and utilizing

the individuality of each of its employees to its advantage. I spent a

decade managing restaurants for them.  The demanding schedule did

not afford me much time for sewing and once I started a family, I realized

the schedule did not allow much time for them either.

So I said good-bye

to my home away from home and a couple of months later dusted off my

sewing machine and picked up a gig doing piece work for a local clothing

company to make money for Christmas. I slowly began finding and

unpacking my sewing items and making space for them in my home. Then

I started making gifts for people and trying to come up with ideas of items

to make with materials I had on hand, or could source inexpensively, and I

found myself building a small inventory of items.

A new street fair started

that year and they were looking for vendors. I had just enough inventory

to send photos of my work along with the application and I was accepted

to vend the street fair, and started sewing A LOT in order to have enough

items to fill my vending spot!

Vending regularly was not reasonable for me with my kids in tow, and I had

researched Etsy shops for months before opening my shop.  Once I started

I felt so lost!  I had zero experience with internet sales.  I tried finding teams

for support with little luck in the beginning, then,…. One of the articles in the Sellers Handbook

suggested using an interest as your search keyword when trying to find

a team.  I searched “patchwork” and that is how I found the DHAA and I

was thrilled!

This team has been such a source of knowledge and support

for me and has truly been a comforting support that has kept me on Etsy.

I also never would have guessed that there would have been an online

market for patchwork clothes, but maybe that is just me showing my age.

I work mainly with up-cycled clothing and de-stash items that I collect from my

community. I have an overwhelmingly diverse stash of fabric, and it can

make it hard for me to focus on one project for a very long time.

When I

get a new idea, I have no problem abandoning a project in progress to start

on a new item. I always have a collection of items in progress…sometimes

I go back and finish them, and sometimes I take them apart to use the

materials for something else. I rarely feel committed to finishing a project I

am no longer enjoying. I find inspiration from so many places in the world

around me. It sometimes surprises even me the things I will suddenly

decide need to be made next!

I grew up with a very crafty mama who loved to sew and craft with

whatever materials we had on hand. She always encouraged us to try

new things and was never afraid of us getting dirty or making a mess. It

was a wonderful way to grow up. I was never allowed to use her machine,

but when I was a teenager and started showing interest, she was quick to

find me a hand me down machine to call my own.

I taught myself how to

sew and quickly burned through a string of hand me down machines.  In

the height of my young adult sewing days my parents helped me purchase

a refurbished metal Singer machine.  I was always concerned about the

quality of my items and the following year my parents gifted me a serger.

Their support meant the world to me and I still sew on the same machines

today.  What a great investment they turned out to be…when I think of what

I have made on them it is almost unreal to me that they are still keeping up

with me!

Making patchwork was a natural fit for me. When I started sewing, I

made a basic dress pattern and made a couple of simple a line dresses from

lightweight vintage curtains I had found at Goodwill. My friends mother

gave me a box full of scraps she had collected over her years of sewing,

and I decided to make a pattern for a patchwork dress for myself. As a

child I had often been mesmerized with Holly Hobbie’s beautiful apron,

and wanted a dress that was a grown up version of that amazing childhood

image. After some drafting and a lot of math…I did it! I couldn’t believe

that I had actually made it! It is still my favorite item I have ever made.

I made well over 50 dresses from this pattern and never upgraded my

personal dress from that original, and I look forward to handing it down to

my girls. I have always been so proud of it, and I am hoping to revive the

pattern this Spring.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/aRecurringDream

My children are the most amazing force to have ever touched my life. I

am a very active parent, and enjoy my time with them immensely. I am

also committed to my community, and spend time volunteering at my

children’s schools, helping with coat and food drives, and volunteering at

our community garden.

Our community garden is one of my favorite places

to be!  In addition to our own plots, my husband, children and I spend a

lot of time helping to tend the common grounds, and tending the donation

garden. All of the harvest from the donation garden benefits our neighbors

through our local food pantry.

My family and I also love taking advantage

of all of wonderful things Pittsburgh has to offer. Pittsburgh is a beautiful

and exciting city, and we particularly love our time spent at the Carnegie

Museums and all of the surrounding State Parks. The woods are truly my

home. I like to be busy and active, and I am never at a loss for things to do

in my area.

I always loved vending at festivals and shows, and I was excited when I

started vending at the Artisan Market in the Strip District neighborhood of

Pittsburgh this year. I love people, and love getting to talk to people about

my work. I find having an internet shop to be so isolating, and it is always

nice to come face to face with someone who truly appreciated what you are

creating.

Music has always held an important role in my life. My father is very

passionate about music and ensured it was part of our daily lives. He took

me to my first concerts, and to many more later in life. The concert that left

the biggest impression was attended when I was about maybe 12 years

old. It was a music festival at Camp Lejeune Naval Base during Operation

Desert Storm. The energy in the crowd was unlike anything I had ever

experienced. I remember that Chicago was the headliner and that Sinbad

was the MC for the event. It was my first experience seeing how music

could bring people together and give them hope, joy and a strong sense of

togetherness.  When I first moved to the city in my early 20’s, there was an amazing

theater that had live music almost every night. I went there just about

every evening, I didn’t feel the need to go anywhere else. Some night

they had national acts, sometimes they would even have high school kids

who raised enough money to rent the theater to play for their friends and

family, and everything in between.  Often times the younger bands playing

were my favorite nights. They always played with a passion that I truly

appreciated.

My favorite quote is by an author named Richard Bach from No Such Place

as Far Away.

“Not being known doesn’t stop the truth from being true.”

                                                                      Richard Bach

This resonates deeply with me. It is a simple statement of truth that I feel is

too often overlooked.

This past year I have had opportunities to do so many things that I never

would have imagined. I have made my first full size quilts, I have started

making bereavement items to console the families who have lost love ones,

and have written my first tutorial to be published in a national magazine this

Spring. It has been such a whirlwind and I am looking forward to what lies

ahead.

Selena: A Recurring Dream Vending by John Colombo Photography

“Many thanks to all of you who have supported me on this journey”  Selena

Artist Contact info:

aRecurringDream.com

selena@aRecurringDream.com

Social Media Links:

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/aRecurringDream

Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/arecurringdream/

Twitter:
www.twitter.com/_RecurringDream

Wanelo:
http://wanelo.com/arecurringdream

Forever Grateful, Deadhead Art Alliance Team

Deadhead Art Alliance Artist of the Month – November – Ivy Starshine – Store – Starshine Beads

I’m Ivy and I’m located in beautiful, sunny Mesa, Arizona! My shops are Starshine Beads and Southwest Soaps!

I create one of a kind handmade jewelry from semi-precious stones, crystals and metals in one store and I create vegan, detergent free, sodium laurel sulfate free handmade soaps. The philosophy for both of my shops is to create high quality handmade items at the lowest price for my customers and I’m proud to say I belong to the Deadhead Art Alliance as well as the Working Artists Promotion Team.

My creative process always starts with inspiration, usually from the stones themselves, either a beautiful focal bead or pendant or the beads themselves.  I’m a Graduate Gemologist and Jeweler for over thirty five years and my first loves are stones and designing, so it’s usually some really unique stones or focal beads or pendants that set my imagination going.  I make all my pieces here at my home by hand.  Each bead is selected individually to create exactly the look I want.

I’ve been a rockhound ever since I can remember….picking up stones and rocks and saving them since I was a little girl, so I guess I had a natural affinity for them. I began beading at the age of eleven and by twelve years old I had procured myself a booth at the Yonkers (NY) Raceway Flea Market every week and was selling on my own at twelve years old.  Beading was always my first love and I continued to make jewelry and do bead work through school. When I was in college I used one particular supplier, a Japanese pearl importer in NY and she came to know me from being her customer and one day she asked me to come work for her so I did.  I obtained some great education from her in Japanese pearls and silk stringing and knotting techniques, as well as becoming her buyer.  As her buyer I would take buying trips into New York City  (I lived about fifteen minutes outside of the city at the time)  to some of the largest pearl and bead import houses in the world. I was like a little kid in a candy store!

Working with that Japanese pearl importer I also was lucky enough to work some of the largest gem and jewelry shows in the world at the Javitz Center in NYC.

I worked my way through college (I have a B.S. In English) with my jewelry and after college I decided to take the turn into the jewelry field as a career.  I went to the Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.) in NYC and graduated with a G.G. (Graduate Gemology) degree and also as a diamontologist  (Diamontology is a branch of gemology that deals specifically with diamonds)  While I was in school at the G.I.A. I also apprenticed with a silver and goldsmith in Hastings-On-Hudson, NY.  She became a wonderful friend and a terrific teacher who I’m grateful for to this day. I also signed up for some classes in Lapidary work at the Westchester Art Workshop, but I discovered that lapidary work wasn’t really my thing. I moved on to work for two different jewelers in Scarsdale, NY, both high end designers of fine jewelry, where I worked in design and repair, as well as sales.

As time went on, I was offered a job with Sterling Inc, owner of Kay Jewelers, Jared, Whitehall and a few others, and I worked with Sterling Inc for a number of years. I was their top seller in the United States one year and won an award (and some great jewelry!) and from there I headed up their Estate Division, which I was thrilled about, as I love Estate Jewelry.
I decided to move from NY to Arizona after a few years and was offered to transfer with Sterling Inc, but I wanted to see what Arizona had to offer me, so I declined.  I did find a job managing a designer fine jewelry store in Scottsdale, Arizona called Scott Allen Jewelers and worked for them and helped them start up their manufacturing company as well.
Then at one point I became burned out on the jewelry industry…I had gotten away from what I really loved….creating the jewelry; and I had ended up in the sales and management end of it (that’s where the money was) and so I felt unhappy and decided to take a break from jewelry for a few years.
Now I’m disabled and unable to work in the workplace these days, so now I simply do my bead work at home, back to doing what I love.

Now What inspires me most to create are the stones and beads themselves and What makes my job interesting is finding unusual stones or beads, it’s like going on a treasure hunt. I also love doing custom orders, it’s fun to take what’s in someone else’s mind and create it for them to make them something they love.  When times get hard My dogs get me through everything! I love my two rescue dogs, they’re my joy. When sales are tight, I keep my hope that things will get better and Of course, my wonderful friends always keep me going too!  In my down time I love to spend time with my best friend, my dogs, taking short road trips, I love to read, be out in the desert, listen to lots of music!  I have many stories about music shows but I’m afraid they’d be too long to tell here, but Grateful Dead shows were always an event.

Favorite Quote:

“An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises.” – Mae West

 

We’ll leave you with this…..     When asked Is there something as an artist that you would like the world to know?
  she says this

“Be kind to each other, always.”

Ivy Starshine

Selling Venues:

Artist Contact info:

https://www.facebook.com/ivyj60

Ivy Starshine on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/southwestsoaps
Social Media Links:

My Etsy Shop

Starshine Beads – https://www.etsy.com/shop/StarshineBeads

My Facebook Fan Page for Starshine Beads –

https://www.facebook.com/StarshineBeads

My Etsy shop Southwest Soaps –

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SouthwestSoaps

My Facebook Fan Page for Southwest Soaps –

https://www.facebook.com/southwestsoaps

Sales happening: I’m having a huge 25% off sale at Starshine Beads through December 23rd and 10% off at Southwest Soaps with coupon code HAPPYHOLIDAYS10 at checkout, through December 23.

Forever Grateful, Deadhead Art Alliance Team

Deadhead Art Alliance Artist of the Month – October – Amanda Johnson– Store – TyeDyeBills

I am the creator of Tye Dye Bills, my name is Amanda Johnson

I make most of the tie dyes, tapestries and bed sheet sets (nature inspired are my favorite) and do the portrait drawings, as well as hand make the other grateful gear.

My team consists of myself and my husband who occasionally makes tie dyes (he has a very groovy style), rinses my bins and is sole owner and namesake of our shop name (tye dye bill was a name given to him during his on the road days), and my children who are the reason I create and sell on Etsy.

Tie dye is our passion.  Our Creations are brought to life through parenthood, love of all things tie dye and the Grateful Family we have come to know and love after all these years.  We love sharing our art, love and soul with others.

Each item contains a moment of our lives, a piece of our hearts, part of our souls. When
you purchase our creations, you are buying moments of frustration and days, weeks,
years of pure joy.  You are not just buying things, but rather creating more time for us to make things we are passionate about.

The creative process happens in our home studio. All tie dyes are folded, tied and dyed
by hand. Tapestries are hand cut from quality medium weight, tightly woven, cotton fabric
and double stitched before folding and dyeing. We use only quality 100% cotton and fiber
reactive dyes. Dyes used are professional grade that creates a marriage between the
dye and cotton fibers during the tie dye process. All items are pre-­washed, rinsed after
dyeing, washed with a professional textile detergent to ensure dyes are bonded and
excess dyes are removed, then washed again. Items are dried in the sunshine on the line
when weather permits or fluffed in the dryer.

Everything is handmade with love, created in a smoke free and cat friendly home.

I’ve created art for as long as I can remember.  Art teachers were pivotal in my
development as an artist.  The first tie dye I made was at summer camp when I was 8
years old.  I’ve loved tie dye for a very long time.  My kids were the driving force behind
starting my own business.  I quit my job as the manager of a small, family owned
business to start my own family.  I knew I would stay home to raise my children, the extra
income from selling tie dyes and more recently my drawings, helps support our family.  It
has proven to be challenging to find a suitable balance for my family, finding time to work
and create things I am passionate about and still take care of my home.  I created a little
play space for my children in my studio, complete with toys, an easel and desk for them to
make their own masterpieces while I work. They love being in my art space and
eventually they will help out with our business too!
I remember watching my Nan crochet blankets when I was little and my Grandma do
needlepoint.  While I never got into either craft, I remember seeing my Nan’s painted
ceramics around the house and my own first interest was probably painting because of
that.

Drawings by Amanda credit: treesandtents.blogspot.com

My favorite piece I have ever made is the drawing named A Penny for Your Thoughts. It is A
drawing of my dear friend Houd (short for Houdini, his nickname) who died in March
2013.  A beautiful soul.  Our shop will be seeing more portraits in the future, I am very
excited about this and have been approached about orders already!What inspires me most to create is Parenthood, the love of all things tie dye and the Grateful Family we have come to know and

love

after all these years has inspired us the most. My portrait drawings are pure
inspiration from the beautiful souls that once walked our earth. I believe our loved ones
deserve to be honored and not forgotten and my portrait drawings do just that.

I love working with color and really enjoy making tie dye I love. Craft shows and festivals
are also a favorite part of business. Being on the scene and selling things I love to make
while having a great time and meeting great people! The same goes for drawing portraits
of our dear loved ones, uncovering their story, discovering what made them special and
the impact they made on this earth before they left.

A sale always comes through when we need it most. I am a stay at home mama so every
penny counts. Believing in ourselves and that our talents will get us through seems to do
the trick! We keep our friends close and our little family closer when times are tough.
Someone has always got our back. We’d like to believe God and our Universe is in
control of everything and we are just tiny specks. We listen to the still, small voice and
have faith.

During what spare time we have we love to camp and be outdoors. Spending time with
friends while enjoying nature is our favorite. Frequenting music festivals is another fond
past time. As our kids get older it will allow for more fun music festivals to explore
together. We can always find inspiration in our little family to keep on keepin’ on.

The first epic music festival that changed my life was Grateful Fest at Nelsons Ledges. I
had not previously been to such a large festival, it had a wonderful lineup of musicians
and wonderful crowd of people amidst the beauty of the forest. It was truly a break
through for me. I can’t wait to experience that particular festival again someday.

❀❀❀

Tell the world Amanda,  Is there something about you as an artist or is there something that you would like the world to know?

“Forget about all the reasons why it won’t work and believe in the reason why it will!  My

mantra for myself when I make something or have an idea that I think no one will want or

love. If you believe in it, someone else will too.”

                                                                                                     Amanda Johnson

❀❀❀

We are Super excited about the future of our shop!  As our children grow and can help more with
the shop we will be offering more tapestries and bed sheet sets.  I will also be expanding
my portrait drawing and taking custom orders.  Someday we hope to open a brick and
mortar shop, which is a ways off.  We believe in living our dreams, its the only way to
make them come true.

favorite quote

“We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there too.”     ­

Author Unknown

Selling Venues

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TyeDyeBills

Artist Contact info: Amanda Johnson ­ http://treesandtents.blogspot.com/

Social Media Links: https://www.facebook.com/TyeDyeBills

Sales happening: Black Friday Sale upcoming and flash sales are announced on our

facebook page from time to time.

Forever Grateful, Deadhead Art Alliance Team

DEADHEAD ART ALLIANCE PRODUCT REVIEW BOARD IS NOW IN SESSION! SCARLET BEGONIA PIN BY MONGO ARTS

Deadhead art alliance isn’t just about the artists who make things, it’s about the ART too., and we’re bringing you some of the newest creations by our Members.

Coming to your etherial doorstep we will be bringing you the hottest items the team’s members are putting out there into the world.  We hope you give them a thumbs up like we have!

Most of you have already got to read about Mongo Arts and their Owner Josh Phagan, but for those of you who are just getting here, he was our first artist of the month and now is our first artist we are featuring in our deadhead product review.

Custom Screen Printing: mongoarts.etsy.com

https://thedeadheadartalliance.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/artist-of-the-month-josh-phagan-of-mongo-arts/

SCARLET BEGONIA PIN BY MONGO ARTS

This was the first of many pins that Josh Phagan from Mongo Arts has designed,  He’s got wonderful graphic art skills and is widely known for his grateful inspired T-shirts and Sweatshirts in his Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/shop/MongoArts

The rundown:

Designed by the Artist who sells it unlike many pin sellers who take images from other sources and use their graphics as their own

pins are numbered – this one shown being number 076

Stamped with the Mongo Logo

Two Pins with Rubber pin backs

3/8 of an ounce

1 1/2 inches by  1 1/2 inches

Limited Edition

SOLD OUT

Now we put this pin through our tour test, we attached it to my dress and did two sets of 4 night runs of Phil Lesh and Friends at Terrapin Crossroads, Phil’s new venue., in San Rafael, California, not only did we get lots of compliments on it, and due to the limited edition status… no one else had one similar.

Mongo ARTS is a 5 star rated business on Etsy, and though this pin is sold out, you can still have a chance to get your hands on one as WE WILL BE GIVING ONE AWAY on our team anniversary on our FACEBOOK team Fan Page at the end of this month!

Here’s the LINK:   TEAM FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

Though this one is sold out, he’s designed many others that have followed, and now offers some of his pins in Silver and Gold.

Here’s a selection of just a few others that this wonderful family has to offer!

New Silver “Bolts of Sierpinski” Stealie Lapel Hat Pins with 4 gemstones 1.5″ with 2 posts on back. Limited Edition and numbered 1-200 with mongo arts back stamp. Limited wholesale available.

New Ship of Fools Pins. 1.5″ with 2 posts on back. Limited Edition of 150.

Grateful Zen your Face Pin. 1.5″ with 2 posts on back.

New Silver “Bolts of Sierpinski” Stealie Lapel Hat Pins with 4 gemstones 1.5″ with 2 posts on back. Limited Edition and numbered 1-200 with mongo arts back stamp. Limited wholesale available.

Josh Phagan

Owner~ Mongo Arts Newport, NC, USA

Contact Info

Office phone: 843-902-5562

Email: mongoarts@gmail.com

Websites

www.mongoarts.com 

Mongo Arts Custom Screen Printing Etsy

Social Media

Visit me on Facebook 

Visit me on Twitter

Visit me on Linkedin

We’ll be bringing you more of the up and coming arts so stay on your toes.. our artists make some unique and whimsical Creations… and we can’t wait to share them with You.

DHAA Artist of the Month – FEBRUARY 2014 – Margaret Adams (Maggie-Jane O) – Store: Knottymama

Banner courtesy of knottymama.etsy.com

Hello! I am known to my fellow cohorts as Maggie-Jane O. I was born under the sign of Pisces in the first year of Reagan’s presidency. I am a dreamer of change, an organic farm-ess, a booty shaker, a naturalist, I vote, homesteader, wife, renegade seamstress, but more to the point, I am a Knotty Mama! Knotty Mama is my business, a giant hunk of my life, designing and creating handmade upcycled clothing and accessories out of second hand and orphaned clothing and fabrics.

Maggie-Jane

My artist process is dominated by the material itself.  I would not be surprised if most upcycled artists begin the same way.  Most of my fabric collection consists of pieces that right away I knew what I would create.  A vintage table clothe with a lace border is already a skirt in my minds eye.  I have stacks of old clothing made from every conceivable material in a rainbow of colors. I love to go to yardsales, and buy those mismatched sheet sets!

The design of any given piece is determined by what kind and how much of fabric I have.  Patchwork is an obvious way to handle any combination of colors and patterns!  One of my favorite parts of the creation process is the choosing of the materials and draft up patterns.  Makes me glad I listened to my grade school teachers about math being really useful in the real world!  I use geometry and algebra and arithmetic everyday.  My notebook is full of chicken scratches.

 

I sew all my garments on my Sears Kenmore from the seventies!  My Aunty Caroline is kind enough to temporarily share her sewing room with me.  We split the glass windowed porch down the middle, though I must admit my chaos does often flow over to her side.  I love my hard core metal beast!  I use flat felled and french seams instead of serging. These seams are professional and long lasting!

 

My father says we come from a family of artists.  My sisters and I always wore handmade hand me downs from my cousins.  My grandmother made barbie doll clothing.  When my sister and I were little, the family print shop was in my grandmother’s basement.  The sounds of the press is like music to my ears mixed with the smell of paper and ink.  Both my parents inspired us to be very artsy and to express ourselves in all mediums of art.  I started upcycling at a young age.  I made barbie clothes out of socks from the no-mate basket.       ( Who is that sock bandit? ) 

 

 

I love the process of creating, so it is hard to pick a favorite piece.  I am constantly in love with the piece I am currently working on, if I don’t like the way it is shaping up it ends up in what I call the crap pile. The most rewarding pieces are the ones that challenge me. I have been honored enough to get to create some amazing wedding dresses.  The joy of creating the perfect garment for someone, is only intensified for that very special occasion.

Everything inspires me to create. I have to make art or I will just die.  I love growing things, it blows my mind that you can take a tiny seed, add a little love, leave the rest to mother nature and you end up with a giant pumpkin or delicate chard. That’s pretty much my life in a hand bag.  The seeds of imagination can culminate into any dimension of the magical.

I feel like the luckiest person in the world.  I have been able to make a semi living from sewing my entire adult life.  I literally love all of it, except maybe having to seam rip something I have sewn wrong, twice.  Nothing beats finding the perfect score at the thrift store.  I love designing something challenging and using pure force of will to make the material do what I want with the proper tools.  I really like going to show and meeting new people!  The most rewarding part of sewing for me, is when I see someone wearing the clothes I have made!

vending booth

-here is a link to a 2003 article from a local newspaper my old partner and I were interviewed while vending     http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Farchives.dailyegyptian.com%2Fimported-20111018203805%2F2003%2F12%2F10%2F25th-annual-craft-sale-draws-large-crowd-of-students-and-com.html

 

My husband, Ethan, is extremely supportive, in fact he basically set up my etsy half a decade ago.  He serenades me while I work and picks up the slack when I am working over time on the sewing machine. No matter the situation, he encourages me to keep creating. My family has always been my biggest supporters.  Fortunately, simple living requires little money.

me and the husbandito

I am busy as a bee,  when I am not in the sewing room, I have a wide variety of tasks.  My husband and I also run a growing organic farm aptly dubbed, ” Dirty Feet Farm”.  From spring to fall I spend a lot of time in our garden, there is always weeding and mulching not to mention the planting and the harvesting. I put in a lot of time in the summer kitchen, canning and pickling produce and jamming.  We have a pack of mutt dogs, and chickens that require attention.  Sometimes when it feels like it’s too much, I lay in the hammock  all day with a good book to recharge my energies.

Dirty Feet Farm

We are trying to get to the point of 100% off the grid.  We currently reside in a military tent, on top of a deck, like the one in Mash.  We have solar power for light and for charging our electronic devices.  In the summer when the panel is getting good light I can even sew there.  This is temporary.  We have been scrimping and saving to build our dream docile for several years.  We have plans to build an earthbag dome this summer, complete with a studio for my sewing and Ethan’s music.

studio and living tent

Growing up, the first live music I was exposed to was around the fire at my parent’s parties.  My mother, sisters, and I would compose impromptu operas doing house work or in the car.  But, I had little experience with contemporary or popular music, I was only allowed to listen to the oldies radio station until I was in Jr High.  My first live concert was George Clinton and the P funk, a free concert at the local university.  It was pretty amazing!!  I was introduced to the Grateful Dead through some beautiful people, who have become life long friends.  The fist time I heard “Fire on the Mountain,” I was instantly addicted!!  I had these old boot leg tapes that I would listen to over and over.   The first festival I attended was Woodstock in ’99.  Three friends and I packed up in my 1987 Monte Carlo and drove to the east coast.  It was a life altering experience, especially because when I came back I made my first mama top.

Living a simple free spirited life is my main goal!  I truly believe that everyone needs to be the change they want to see in the world!  For me, running my eco friendly sewing business fits in perfect with my homesteader bohemian view of the world.  I do not have to sacrifice any of my morals, Knotty Mama allows me to make a small living off of other people’s waste.  I also really like the fact that I am offering people a different choice, they do not have to buy poorly constructed clothing made by unfair labor practices, sold in earth destroying big box chains.  Soon I will be able to do all my sewing  with the power of the sun, then I will be really dancing down my path!!

 

favorite quote

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do”-Rumi

 

She is also the leader of our DHAA team in charge of the Quilt Team and we’re happy to say that 20 artists and almost a year later we’ve completed something special!

 

 

Selling Venues:

Knottymama.etsy.com

Artist Contact info:

Knottymama@gmail.com

Social Media Links:

www.facebook.com/knottymama

www.facebook.com/dirtyfeetfarm

DHAA ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2013 Is: Jenna Michelle Kidd from xDropBearStitcheryx

2013

DEADHEAD ART ALLIANCE ARTIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS 

Congratulations to our ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Jenna Michelle Kidd:  Woodstock, Canada

We’d like to Congratulate our team Leader Jenna Michelle Kidd for Winning the Deadhead Art Alliance Artist of the Year AWARD by popular vote by the members of our team.

Thank you to Everyone who Voted!

Some of her newest Creations

We must thank her for being the team Leader in Charge of our DHAA Etsy Treasury Department:   Promoting and Marketing Art for other Fellow Artists and with other artists

Including working closely with our team sponsors like our newest team sponsor    Susie  from  Urban Prairie Girl : California Dreamin Treasury shown below-

Representing what it is to be deadhead family and a community partner-  No matter how hard the day, she’s given her best to us, and for that we Respect this woman!

–  BIG Thanks! and a Shout out to the time and Energy Put in behind the Trenches by Many of our members and our team Leaders to get our artists Work Seen by making these curated galleries of art!!     You know who you ARe.

White Light by Jen on Etsy

Featured Artists:

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTg5MjU0NjR8MjcyNTY2Mjk3MA/white-light

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TravelingGypsies

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GratefullyDreaming

https://www.etsy.com/shop/OceanBeachGlass

https://www.etsy.com/shop/meadowbranchfarm

https://www.etsy.com/shop/thehappymushroom

https://www.etsy.com/shop/imperfection

https://www.etsy.com/shop/InfiniteSpiral

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PerpetualSunshine111

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShysNoKnots

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MongoArts

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TyeDyeBills

https://www.etsy.com/shop/jodisunflower

https://www.etsy.com/shop/aRecurringDream

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KnotJustHempJewelry

https://www.etsy.com/shop/WookNook13

https://www.etsy.com/shop/WindyMountainDesigns

 

California Dreamin by Jen on Etsy – In honor of our first team sponsor by Urban Prairie Girl

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTg5MjU0NjR8MjcyMjg4NjM3MQ/california-dreamin   

 I couldn’t have chosen better if I’d picked myself!  This team knows what they are talking about! oxo captain

Keep this Artist in your mind… I know you’ll be hearing more about her in the years to Come…. you never know what she’ll pull out of her bag of tricks next!

Her Graphic Arts are Featured by the Team and we’ll now be offering Team Tshirts which she worked up with the ideas from the team’s creator Jen JKLD:

DHAA Artist of the Month – November 2013 – Debbie Rodgers Store: Thunder Rose Leather

Hi, I am Debbie and my business is Thunder Rose Leather

 I work with John who is my husband of 35 years and leather making partner for over 25 of them.

✿

We  live in a small community about 15 miles from Sedona, Arizona.

I am one of the original promoted Leaders of the Deadhead Art Alliance Team that started in April of 2012 on Etsy.  I have contributed to the team by helping to start the Facebook social media group which the team uses to promote and share their art with one another.  I also list our chat threads on Etsy every month where people are welcomed to come and share their day, ideas, and selling concerns with each other.   Helping our like-minded artists to connect, and to make treasuries to promote the their arts.

Deadhead Art Alliance Etsy Treasury featuring artists from the DHAA

I am also the captain of the Working Artists Promotion Team on etsy.com and zibbet.com which  is for promoting handmade by you, vintage, upcyclers and supplies.

✄       ✄       ✄

Our work is all handmade by us and we do our best to make sure when you buy one of our creations you are happy about what you receive.

Everything is made right here in our home in our made to order shop. We have a large leather table so we can lay out our hides and find each item.

Each hide is very different so we do our best to get the closest look to the leather bag or whatever your purchase is. We work mostly in Elk skins and buffalo leather. We make all of our own lace and antler buttons.

We are self-taught artists.  We have had some friends along the way have pointed out this or that, but we taught ourselves mostly and quit our day jobs as soon as our business was able to stand on its own.  The business is always changing and flowing, just like everything else in life so we have found that you need to roll with the river, always making the best choices you can along the way.

photo credit: google images

When I was a young woman I was always looking for the craft I felt good with.

I tried many things.

One day I ran across a bunch of seed beads of all kinds of colors. That was it. I have been beading ever since.

Photo Credit: ThunderRoseLeather.etsy.com

baby moccasins

We just kinda evolved into the leather because they go so good together.

I love my long fringed leather totes, of course with beadwork they are so easy to get in and out of. Our bags get better with age.

They become antique with what I call your medicine or person style.

I think the one thing that inspires me most to create is my spirit.

Creating has a satisfaction to it.

It’s a way I can give something I love to do to the human race and they can cherish it for a lifetime or give something handmade to their loved one.

I’ve found that Sitting down and creating something is centering for me. Focusing my mind on one thing is a kind of working meditation.  I love that.

I do love listening to music while I bead and absolutely need to spend time in my garden with music and in nature to nourish my spirit.

The first festival I went to was when I was 16 years old. In was in the late 60’s early 70’s. The Dead were playing outdoors. Tickets back then were only about $5 to $10 dollars. That was it. I loved them and still do. They are one of a kind. I have been through many changes from that time until now, which is a very long story in itself,  but the Dead always uplift me. I like to put on a CD and turn up my music and dance.

♬

I love to garden in the spring,  to watch an inspiring movie, and to play with my dog Rosie.

I just do what I do. Nothing more nothing less. I love what I do and feel very thankful for my life , my family and friends.

Besides being an artist I have a beautiful Daughter and four beautiful grandchildren that I adore. My dream is to one day be able to teach them my art and encourage them to find their own creative process so they can be free to be themselves in this confusing world.

My favorite are books from  Pema Chodron, Lao Tzu, The Dalai Lama. They are my go to people for encouragement to stay on the path of loving kindness and compassion toward myself and others and to work with my own mind when times are hard.

Dali Lama: The Art of Happiness
Photo Credit: wikimedia

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
― Dalai Lama XIV, The Art of Happiness

Selling Venues:                 thunderrose.etsy.com

Artist Contact info:         thunderrose[!at]ymail.com

Social Media Links:         https://www.facebook.com/thunderrosecreations

Thank you Debbie for being you and sharing the kindness you have learned with the world and the Deadhead Art Alliance Community.  We’re blessed to have you.