Interview with myself

Artfire Featured Artisan!

On artfire you can send in some interview questions to hopefully be featured on the front page one of these days.  My day has come, so you can see my interview on artfire any time, but I'm leaving it up here as well.

 Answer 5 to 10 of the following in as much detail as you can.
1. Please start by telling us a little about yourself and your studio.
My name is Sarah McClure, and my sister Rachel and I run ajoeynamedroo creations.  I am a Senior at UNC at Chapel Hill this year, and my future plans are up in the air!  I've always been interested in creating things, and over the years dove into as many crafts as I could get my hands on.  Right now my focus is on knitting, and polymer clay jewelry.  I also help Rachel with bath and body products.


2. If there’s one thing that defines you, what is it?
One of the things that has driven my creative endeavors is my want to figure things out.  I see interesting things around me all of the time, and I love to figure out how I can use my crafting skills to create something similar and make it my own.  In that way, the world of craft is like one big challenge.


3. What role does your family play in your art?
My mom always encouraged art in our house, which I think is one reason that Rachel and I both enjoy it as a hobby now.  My mom so wanted to encourage our creativity that she never bought us coloring books.  She didn't want us to be restricted by the lines!  Of course that made me want them even more, and I loved to color in my friend's coloring books.  My grandma also planted an inventive spirit in me.  I stayed with her a lot as a child, and she was always willing to try my ideas.  She also taught me to crochet.  It was a skill that I abandoned for a while, but I owe my interest in it to her early teaching.


4. Where do you live and what is it like?
I split my time between Chapel Hill and Asheville, NC where I grew up  Asheville is an amazing place because you are constantly surrounded by art, in the beautiful art nouveau buildings, the street musicians, and the local art displayed in restaurants and galleries.  Both Asheville and Chapel Hill have an great independent spirit, where difference and creativity are appreciated.

5. Where did you learn your medium?
It's funny, but I learned most of my craft skills from Klutz books as a kid.  I had the polymer clay one and absolutely loved it.  I remember spending literally all of my birthday/holiday money on these books, and always being so excited when a new one came out.  I continued to use books to learn as I got older, and honed my skills using internet tutorials for new techniques.


6. What are your goals with your ArtFire studio?
Having an online shop inspires me to continually create.  Although it's something I always love, selling online has given me a greater drive.  I don't know if this is a commonality among other crafters, but I don't really like keeping my own work.  I mostly like the process of creating and I'm less interested in the final product.  So selling online gives me a great outlet for my creations

Dipping my toes in the Artfire Pond

 ajoeynamedroo

I've had an artfire account for a while, but had never listed anything.  I was a little fearful of overextending myself.  With all the craziness at etsy, the sort of elitism there, and the hugeness of it, I thought maybe I should feel out the artfire waters.

From an aesthetic standpoint I would say there's no competition.  Etsy has their look down, and artfire is floundering a little.  A lot of their banners are pretty cheesy, but in a way I kind of like this.  I feel like it makes them more approachable.  Where etsy has recently come to seem to be all about the bottom line, artfire is trying to be about people.  I know it's a business strategy and a way to make money, but I think I like it better than etsy's approach.

Artfire also has free listings, although you have to pay a monthly fee to get all the available privileges.  The free listings is why I finally decided, WHY NOT?

I'm still getting used to the site, but I'm having trouble finding anything.  I keep trying to get back to pages, and not being able to find them again.  I'm thinking that this may only be a problem for sellers though.  Buying seems to be a little simpler.  I do really like the listings though.  Since it's all on one page it's way faster than waiting for etsy's servers to catch up each time you go to the next section.. 

I'm not ready to endorse artfire yet.  I'm not even ready to pay for the pro-version, but I'm thinking that I might be soon.


No pressure, but if you're thinking about joining artfire anyway, here's my referral link
Register on ArtFire.com
No point not putting it out there, right?

So it's your Birthday and Easter too?

Last year my mom sent me a card that said, "so it's your birthday and Easter too."  Can you believe that there are enough people to make that card profitable?  Anyway, this year was a little closer, as my birthday was Easter weekend, which was good since it gave me an opportunity to go home (and collect all my booty!)

I really did get some incredible things this year, which shows how well my family and friends know me.  Two really great things come to mind,

First is the book "Pops!: Icy Treats for Everyone" from my roommate.  AMAZING!  I can't wait to get started, and you should expect some photos of my creations, with a few adjustments from the recipes, since I have never been known to leave well enough alone!

The other awesome present, that is also a little silly is the tomato planter that I KNOW you've seen on TV.  I saw the commercial, and it got me with the loads of tomatoes.  I don't know how well it actually works, but as I have been known to tell people, "the tomato is my favorite socially constructed vegetable." (i.e. it's a fruit, but I like other fruits better) So their advertising got me, and my parents were kind enough to give me this silly little present.  I'm starting my plants from seed, and transplanting them into the topsy turvy.

Stay tuned, and I'll let you know how it works. 

Carolina Lizard

I saw this little guy sitting outside Greenlaw, the English building, on campus the other day.

Doesn't he look contemplative?

He's a Carolina anole, also called a green anole, 

or a red-throated anole. 

I wasn't able to capture it on "film",

but he does have a red throat when he feels 

like showing it off.

He can also change colors, like a chameleon, or a mood ring.


Speaking of mood rings, I was thinking the other day, wouldn't it be creepy looking if you could get contacts that changed colors like a mood ring?  It would be like the vampires in Twilight.  Someone should work on creating that.

Cloth Covered Magnets

Birthday Magnets

 Today is my roommate, Lily's 22nd birthday.  We usually try to make each other at least a little something, so this year I made a fabric covered set of magnets.  My process is a combination of  what I thought to be the best aspects of a number of tutorials I found on great blogs and how-to sites.

You can also make buttons, if you simply use buttons with a shank.  You may also want to turn under the edge, but that's up to you.  With magnets there is no need to, since the magnet goes over the messy part.

Another way to dress up and personalize your magnet would be to embroider your fabric circle.

They're very simple!

Here's what you need: 

• batting
• thread
• needle
• buttons
• scraps of beautiful fabric
• small magnets
• super glue

First, I glued 3-4 layers of batting to the button.  The only thing about this step is to be careful not to get too much glue on the top layer, so it doesn't have hard bumps.  A few of mine had that problem.  

Cut around the batting

Second, cut a circle with a diameter ~2 times the size of your button.  Don't worry about being too precise, it works just fine a little bigger or smaller.  

Then using a straight stitch, sew around the edge of your circle without knotting either end of the thread.

 Third, place your fabric face down.  Put the button batting side down, in the center of the circle

 

Fourth, gently pull the two ends of your thread

 

Fifth, carefully pull tight and knot the two threads together.  Trim.

Sixth, cover the magnet with glue and press onto the back of the button for a few seconds.

There, you're done.  I told you it would be easy!