The Artisan Within with Pointless Nostalgic

1. Where are you from?
Originally I'm from north central Illinois, a small farm just outside of Gridley. Currently I am from the San Luis Valley of Colorado and I'll be from here for about another year or so.

2. What do you create?
Oh I create lots of things. One thing that I don't share on Etsy is the food that I create, I just love to cook. For myself and for Etsy I create many knitted items, some earrings, and other random upcycled wonderfulness.

3. Tell us a little about yourself.
Currently I work as a full time volunteer at an immigrant resource center. We help folks get their paperwork in order as well as teach English as a Second Language courses, and citizenship class. I am married to my dear David. We will be married three years come October and we still think it is the greatest idea ever, marriage that is. Working as a volunteer with the organization I am in involves community living so though David and I have our own place we work to live in intentional community with the other five volunteers that are here in our program.

4. What or Who got you started doing what you do?
My Grandma Kirkton taught be how to crochet when I was very young, but within the past year I have taken strongly to knitting. I taught myself the basics of knitting from random internet sites and then I decided I wanted to learn something useful so I had a friend of a friend teach me how to knit socks and from there there was no stopping me! That was last August and I have since taught myself how to make hats, gloves, wallets, slippers, and even how to spin using a drop spindle.

5. What is a little known fact, or something unique about your work that is interesting?
In general I don't make things that I wouldn't use or wear. There have, of course, been a couple things that didn't turn out the way I thought they would, but overall I don't just make things to make them. I make them because I enjoy how they look or I value what they are used for so I want to share them with my customers.

6. If you could pick anyone famous that would purchase your work, who would they be?
The obvious people who may appreciate handmade somehow don't strike me, not that I wouldn't really like for Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, or Oprah to come strolling through my store. For some reason Janeane Garafalo stands out to me as a person who would appreciate handmade items and stand up for what they mean to our world and economy. I literally have nothing to base this belief on, but that is who I will choose - Janeane Garafalo.

7. Do you prefer to create in silence, or a room filled with music?
Since most of my work is knitting, I prefer to do that when I am hanging out with friends, watching a movie or whatever. For cooking I like to have music on or the TV in the other room.

8. When did you first discover you had a creative side?
I think it has always been evident. My mom wasn't "crafty", but she was more of a interior designer. So early on when I would create things she would always encourage me saying how she was never able to create, but I learned from her many great way to accomplish cool interior designs and think outside the box.



9. What's one thing that would surprise us about yourself?
Hmmm, maybe that I have also lived in Southern Africa and in Bolivia.

10. What's in your CD player?
Imogen Heap

11. What magazine would you love to be on the cover of?
I don't think they put people on the front, but maybe Real Simple because I feel like they need to get more involved in the handmade movement.

12. Favorite vacation spot?
Either the beaches of Vilanculos, Mozambique or anywhere that there is great camping and hiking.

13. Can you throw any advice about anything our way?
Live for the joy of others and your life will overflow with joy.


14. Links where we can find out more about your work.

http://emmylouhelmuth.etsy.com/

http://emmylouhelmuth.blogspot.com/

Featured Writer Red

My featured writer is Red. She writes about her real life and her journey through it. If you would like to read more about Red, please visit her blog for more personal thoughts and insights.

Red's Blog

Red Writes.....

A movie marathon including: Atonement, The Waitress, Stardust, 3 rounds of Apples to Apples, loads of junk food, Pinot Gris Wine, Pesto with bowtie pasta, Calamati olives & Focacia bread, excellent conversation, and the superb company of my big sis on her 38 th. birthday...

What more can a gal ask for on a single Saturday? Aside from the reminder that I will always be younger than her, I had a great time staying the night at her place and just hanging out while playing games, watching movies, and indulging.

Here's are my very first and very amateur movie reviews!

Atonement: Good...but not nearly as good and lusty as was portrayed. Which is what I was admittedly hoping for. Hey, a girl likes to live vicariously once in a while yanno.

The Waitress: Also good. Turns out to be more about self reliance and confidence than true love. Since when is THAT what it's all about????

Stardust: Do you know this movie? Remember the commercials? No?Nothing? Exactly!

Simply a travesty that this fun frolic of a film was not promoted nearly enough. I personally had vague recollections of it only after I had seen the cover art on the DVD. Claire Danes is truly radiant as the human embodiment of a fallen star who is on the run from the greedy grasp of a black magic witch puuurrrfectly portrayed by Michelle Phifer. Clever cameo castings include Peter O'toole as the dying king of Stronghold, and Robert De Niro as captain of a swashbuckling crew of lightening pirates, who also happens to be a bit light in the shorts when his scruffy deck hands are not looking. This movie was so clever, light hearted and engaging the entire way through. Stardust shined brightly in my evening!

Personalized Wedding and Shower Favors

A group of Etsy artisans who offer wonderful, unique, and custom designed items for weddings have teamed up and formed the Etsy Wedding Team.


My specialty is custom designed wedding and shower favor tins. These come personalized and are a great way to say "thank you" to all your attending guests.



Click on any of these pictures to find out more details and how to purchase.







Please visit our Etsy Wedding Team Blog for more great ideas and beautiful handcrafted wedding items.

Moodwax has been featured. Pretty cool......

My First Treasury on Etsy

This is my first time I was featured in a Treasury on Etsy.

It's somewhat of a small honor to be featured. Your work is chosen from other artists and crafters as part of their favorite pieces in their chosen category.

Click on pictures to get a better look.

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Red Writes......

I've been sharing with you the story of how/why I married so young- and boy am I bored of it already! Or maybe it's just the 23 year long part of the story. Just ask my husband, he'd tell you that, "The last 23 years have seemed like FOREVER!' (and then he'd duck.) Like the great Paul Harvey said...'Here is the rest of the story...'

Shortly after we met and began dating, he (my now husband, then boyfriend) left to join the military. Our first years consisted of letters & calls, with a few short visits scattered through out. Then his family moved across country and his visits could only be to there instead. So one Christmas his family paid for a plane ticket so I could join them there. He took me to the highest mountain point where we watched the sunset, & then got down on one knee and proposed.

Back at home word traveled fast in my itty bitty town and everyone wanted to see my ring as 'proof'. That summer I decided to move into my sisters apt in a larger town close by so that I could graduate early. I only needed two credits and my small school did not offer such a program. Then right before my Senior year started I was offered to come live in Missouri with an Aunt so that I could be closer to him in Ga. Yup- I gave up on the chance to graduate early for love. ( ...insert cheesy "awww"'s ...) By the time I got moved to the new state, school had already started and I was placed in useless classes just to fill my schedule & put where ever there was room. I had 2 Newspaper classes. Not two different ones- same class, twice a day. They put me in Marching Band. I hadn't played an instrument since 7th grade. They literally told me to 'Puff up my cheeks and fake it, because no one will know the difference.' Then there was Yearbook & Study Hall. I also had to take 9th Gr. Economics & P.E. as the credit criteria was different in the two states.

He drove 8 hrs each way to stay the weekend with me. (and yes, he remained a virgin the entire time. ) I got a waitress job in a chowder house that, I kid you not, was just like in the Free Credit Report .Com commercials. I wasn't nearly as cute as that guy in my uniform, and I was horrible at waitressing. I began to hate everything my days involved. We both realized we were just wasting time in order to 'do the right thing.' We decided that as soon as I turned 17 we'd get married in a teeny private ceremony & get an apt. close to his base, and I'd start my Senior yr. over the next year. It helped that I normally would have graduated at 17 anyways so I felt I had a freebie year to play with.

So there I was again- the buzz of the lunch line as first one person noticed my ring and others gathered around to witness this anomaly. The most curious and outspoken ones were those who had just previously been discussing their swollen pregnant bellies, and who was on their first, second, or third. But 'I' was weird. I was apparently doing something 'strange' and unheard of. Yes, I wrote my own tardy notes. (Yes, they made me turn them in even though I was the guardian of myself.) And yes, I barely graduated because most of those tardys were counted as 'Abscent' whether I was there the rest of the day or not, and I almost fell under the line of the minimum days of attendance. But it was not because of bad grades.

It's kind of funny now to look back at how even the teachers did not know how to treat me. I got singled out many times as thinking I was smarter, or above reproach, therefore making them either be a bit harder on me or try to avoid me entirely. One of my teachers was a MENSA member. (a national club for highly intellectual types with the highest IQ's) Seems she couldn't find much wrong with a report I turned in so she kept me from getting an A by docking me for using a word 'that wasn't my own'. It wasn't even a BIG word. It was the little, albeit not often used word, 'Aura'; which was not even used in the story I wrote the report on. I had to argue for the points back - but she would only 'meet me half way', because she 'still didn't believe that I came up with that on my own' and gave me back just enough pts. to not raise the grade. Oh well, it's all a funny story to me now and it's my comic relief any time I ponder the irony of so many of life's experiences.

Back Door Slam

Red Writes......

I was 12 when I met my husband at a Youth Group Easter Party. He had just turned 18 and was about to graduate. He was a member of the church in the past but had since moved, all before I began attending. This explains why I took no notice of him as he coyly followed me around the arcade that night. I just thought he liked my mad skilz at Lady Bug and Spy Hunter. Later we all met back up at the church for fun & games. Lo and behold, there he was again. He had been encouraged by his parents to attend the Easter party in order to keep in touch with old friends. I was actually grounded but allowed to go because it was a CHURCH party.

It wasn't long before I realized this tall older boy had taken a serious interest in me. My best friend noticed too. And that's when she filled me in on his crime. She swore she'd never talk to me if I talked to him at all. She recalled how, many years back at Church Camp, he had kissed a certain particular someone whom no other guy would have wanted to go near, let alone kiss. She never forgave him this error in judgment and had since always considered him 'weird'. But lucky for him I had no such prejudices... and she got over it. (*Before you think him a pervert for being 18 chasing a 12 yr old, I should tell you that I easily passed for 18; with no make up, soaked to the bone at the community pool.)

He offered to give me a ride home, and we both took a risk by assuring the pastor it was ok because we knew each other and I was on his way. But aside from that 'camp kissing incident' he was a smart kid whom every one liked and trusted, so it was allowed. As he dropped me off (3 houses down, of course) he asked me what school I went to. I told him the first name of our local high school...which just happened to share the same first name with our local Jr. high school- the one I actually attended. Thinking I was older (and allowed) he gave me a kiss goodnight and sent me safely to my front door. Thus began, and still goes on, a 23 yr. long relationship.

(May visions of the pink Energizer bunny entertain you until next time.)

Think Spring

I'm so ready for spring!

I have my vegetable seeds ready to start and can't wait to see green grass. It has been a long, cold, snowy, winter.

It will nice to see my raspberry bushes in bloom again.

Spring inspired candles

The Artisan Within with Rural Abandon

1. Where are you from?
I was born and raised in rural Iowa. After college I left the state and lived in places like Ukraine, Minneapolis, and Armenia but recently found my way back to my home.

2. What do you create?
Sterling silver and mixed-media jewelry using traditional metalsmithing methods.

3. Tell us a little about yourself.

By day I work for the University of Iowa International Writing Program and by night I am a metalsmith. I am extremely close to my family and the proud adoptive parent of a wonderful little girl. I feel extremely lucky to have the life I do and have so far been able to translate every dream for myself into reality. I feel like I have already lived a thousand lives!

4. What or Who got you started doing what you do?
I have always been artistic and creative but it wasn't until recent years that I settled on metalsmithing as my art form of choice. While in college I explored everything from drawing and painting to ceramics and photography but in the end I decided to carry on in my father's footsteps. He has been a gold and silversmith for over 37 years. It took some time but once I found my voice in metalsmithing it became a real pleasure to work in.

5. If you could pick anyone famous that would purchase your work, who would they be?
What a great question and something I have never thought about before...flexing my brain on this one...I guess I would be completely flattered for anyone famous to wear my work but I would love for Ellen DeGeneres to sport one of my quirky mixed-media pieces. They seem right up her alley.

6. Do you prefer to create in silence, or a room filled with music?
I generally have music or NPR on when I am in my shop. I find classical music to be particularly soothing while I am working on more intricate pieces. Sometimes I work at my dad's shop and he usually has classic rock playing...I love to sing along much to the dismay of my father.

7. When did you first discover you had a creative side?
Very early. I loved to draw as a child and had a lot of encouragement from family, friends, and teachers. Both of my parents are creative people so art was a part of my life from the start.

8. What's one thing that would surprise us about yourself?
I am very well traveled...this seems to surprise people in Iowa. I have traveled to or lived in 18 countries so far and will be adding 4 more this Spring. Besides art I have always had a keen interest in other cultures. I am half Armenian so I grew up with another culture as a part of my life. Joining the Peace Corps out of college was a turning point in my life and acted as a springboard to an amazing career in international development. Yep, I have a day job that is pretty amazing.

9. What's in your CD player?
Oh man this is embarrassing! My four year old daughter has suddenly discovered Hanna Montana so I just got her a CD and that happens to be in there right now. I don't put in CDs very often but the CD in before my daughter's was a Mason Jennings CD.

10. What magazine would you love to be on the cover of?
Art Jewelry Magazine wouldn't be half bad!

11. Favorite vacation spot?
I must admit we don't really do big vacations. Every summer my best friend since grade school and I take our kids up to the Wisconsin Dells to hit the water parks. Every year we also say we will never do it again. I wouldn't say it is my favorite vacation spot maybe without the little ones it would be different. I'd much rather be out in the woods in a tent with some close friends and a beer.

12. Can you throw any advice about anything our way?
In life you have to sometimes take chances and try new things...good or bad...you will be better for it.

13. Links where we can find out more about your work.

http://www.ruralabandon.com/
http://www.ruralabandon.blogspot.com/
www.trunkt.org/RuralAbandon

Looking to feature artisans

I'm looking to feature an artisan each month. If you would like to participate, please leave your contact info in the comment section. This will be a question and answer type interview with pictures of your work to be displayed if you'd like.

Red's Welcome

I'm pleased and thrilled to feature a writer from the Great Northwestern United States. Here is her first of hopefully many stories about everyday life to help remind us of our own journey through this great big world. Please give a welcome to Red.

Red Writes.......

Ok, so I opened my big mouth and said I wanted to be a writer. It wasn't long before I was invited to put my keyboard where my mouth is, and here I am! So...Now what?

The first step I suppose would be to introduce myself. Hi. My name is Red. (At least, that's what they call me. )

That was easy, but now I'm back where I started. I know i'm supposed to tell you a little about myself, and that's where the hard part comes in. What is really so interesting about little insignificant me? Truth be told, I could tell you stories that would make your head spin. But do I really want to divulge everything from a twisted childhood wrought with physical and emotional abuse, to my current oh-so-sunny (and oh-so-ironic) out look on life? And if the answer is, 'YES! What the heck! Get it off your chest!', then where does one start?

I was born in Iowa one cold winter's eve...

Nah. A cold winter night in Iowa... nothing new there. Let's fast forward to: I'm 35 and have been married for 18 years. (I'll pause while you do the math....) That's right, I was married at 17. It was in the great state of Missouri with a permission note from my mommy.

But wait, I've lived in The Great Northwest since I was 6. How then, you ask, did I end up in Missouri married at 17? And to add even more fodder to this cauldron of curiousness while simultaneously clearing the air, NO I was NOT pregnant. I still needed to graduate high school after all.

Yes indeed... truth is stranger than fiction. Not always as interesting, but strange enough to make our personal truths so different from one another's, that the difference it's self is really what is so fascinating. At least that's my opinion. Stick around, you'll be treated to many more. (And I'll tell you all about what it was like being married in high school.)

Feature of the Week.....

Check out Kiss My Style!

If you're looking for great handmade items, they have a fabulous selection on items for the home, baby, and accessories.

The handmade knits are my favorite. Be sure and stop by Kiss My Style and take advantage of their $5 off offer.