I've been working so hard for months to get everything right. I've never done this before. It's like swimming into the deep end of the pool for the first time. Everything had to be right.
This is as right as I can possibly get it and I'm so happy to tell you
MY ETSY STORE IS OPEN!!
Check it out at http://fyrecreek.etsy.com or the links to the right.
I've only got a handful of things up right now. More will come. This is just a place to begin.
Thanks for looking!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Super Mondo Product Photo Shoot
Today, I pulled out my handy photo tent and set my current inventory of finished gnomes, piggies and Spirit Dolls into it one by one, and took pictures to my heart's content. It was exhausting! But, after some cropping, it means I'll have the wonderful thing known as "product photos." Ooo with me now: "Oooooo!"
I'm aiming to have my shop up and running by the end of the week. No promises though, there are a lot of last-minute things I need to do, but I'm working on it!
I'm aiming to have my shop up and running by the end of the week. No promises though, there are a lot of last-minute things I need to do, but I'm working on it!
Friday, May 1, 2009
A Very Special Place
During a mental break at work one day, I searched aimlessly around Etsy. I decided to see what kind of fairy houses Etsy artists may have available. When I was younger, I made one out of a plastic tree house toy. I had a bed with pillows and blankets made of soft, shiny fabrics. A silver box lid served as a table, because fairies like shiny things, with two origami chairs and some clay dishes and tableware. It worked well enough, even though the main “house” was plastic, and I know my fairy friend appreciated it. Still, I have long been in the market for a good fairy house.
The problem I had been running into was that I found most fairy houses were not houses at all. They were solid blocks of wood or clay, sculpted and decorated and painted to look like a rustic fairy house. Sure, they were natural materials (except when the clay was polymer) and therefore better than my plastic tree house, but they were not actually houses. How can people expect a fairy to live inside of a solid block of wood?
I think fairies like hollows to live in. They make homes in the thick of rose bushes, or in the cradle of the roots of a great oak tree, or well hidden in its branches, or in a hovel dug out of the clay near a small stream. They don’t live inside a living, solid tree or a rock. Even for an intangible being, that just doesn’t make sense. Where would they put the shiny keys and pretty beads and abandoned snail shells that they love to collect? And you can’t invite a guest to your home without giving them a comfortable, safe place to stay. “This is the guest room. It’s not actually a room, it’s just a door painted on the wall. You can’t get in and there’s nothing there anyway, but this is for you, so you know you’re welcome.” Perhaps you can see why I am so confused about this trend.
So, I was browsing the shops, coming across some truly adorable house-looking sculptures until I found Rachel’s Fairy Houses. These houses were actual houses: hollowed out logs, good pieces of bark, with floors and roofs and windows and each had a great big opening so the fairies can fly freely in and out. And once one flies in, I’m sure they’ll stay. Each house had a plethora of tiny little treasures. Soft beds in rich, royal colors. Bookcases stocked with bottles, books, tiny keys, and sparkly charms. Leaf-covered easy chairs and sofas. Wooden tables bedecked with bowls and goblets and tea pots and chairs for tired fairies to sit in. Some houses had writing desks and spell books and telescopes for the stargazers. Some had piles of glass beads and shells and chunks of quartz, pictures and leaves and feathers on the walls. Ferns and vines covered the outside. All had tiny little lights that filled the space inside with a warm, amber glow. And the best part was that each little house had room to place your own offerings and trinkets for the fairies. Just from the pictures, I knew this artist and her creations were special. I knew it so well that I had to drop her a line and tell her so.
Through the next several weeks, I came back to Rachel’s shop often. It was a nice place to take a break from work, to dream about the houses and which one I think my fairy friend would want to live in. Many that I loved were listed and bought before I had a chance to get it. Then, I found one that just called to me. I didn’t have the money for it in the right account so I had to wait for it to transfer, gripped in a crazy kind of fear that it would be bought right out from under me. It wasn’t and, in only a week, my house, the one that was meant for me, arrived on Beltane. It couldn’t have been planned, it just happened to work out that way.
Shortly after purchasing my house and while waiting for it to arrive, I thought about the things I knew the artist could make that weren’t in my particular house, like the open spell book or desk with ink and quill. A new house she had listed featured a tiny fairy telescope and I really wanted that. I am a stargazer myself, some friends call me Skywatcher and expect me to know what is going on in the sky at all times. What I didn’t know was that the pictures on my work computer were coming up so dark that I couldn’t see all the details very well. It worked out better for me, because my breath caught when I unwrapped the part were the fairy telescope sat on its tripod.
I’ve been saving up tiny things to add to my house. A few pieces of quartz from the local quartz vein, a crystal point, a tiny snail shell I found the day after buying the house while visiting my parents. I almost wish I didn’t have plans tonight, because I want to sit with my house and feel how happy my fairy friend is with it. I think a few fairies may have come for the journey, because my cat, Miss Luna was madly chasing something I couldn’t see until I got the house up and out of the cat’s reach. I also started writing a story inspired by Rachel’s Fairy Houses, before I had one of my own, knowing it would be featured when I did have one.
I remember being surprised that she seems to have a few repeat customers. These houses are expensive, in the grand scheme of things (but they are worth so much more than the price), and it amazed me that people keep coming back for more. I already know I am going to be one of those people. This artist has a gift, an eye for things in the Fairy Realm. You can feel the attention and the love that goes into her work. You can feel the care in the details, in the thorough wrapping to protect it while shipping. And you know she takes pride in her work and strives to satisfy her customers. I’m no longer surprised that people keep coming back. I’m already planning.
The problem I had been running into was that I found most fairy houses were not houses at all. They were solid blocks of wood or clay, sculpted and decorated and painted to look like a rustic fairy house. Sure, they were natural materials (except when the clay was polymer) and therefore better than my plastic tree house, but they were not actually houses. How can people expect a fairy to live inside of a solid block of wood?
I think fairies like hollows to live in. They make homes in the thick of rose bushes, or in the cradle of the roots of a great oak tree, or well hidden in its branches, or in a hovel dug out of the clay near a small stream. They don’t live inside a living, solid tree or a rock. Even for an intangible being, that just doesn’t make sense. Where would they put the shiny keys and pretty beads and abandoned snail shells that they love to collect? And you can’t invite a guest to your home without giving them a comfortable, safe place to stay. “This is the guest room. It’s not actually a room, it’s just a door painted on the wall. You can’t get in and there’s nothing there anyway, but this is for you, so you know you’re welcome.” Perhaps you can see why I am so confused about this trend.
So, I was browsing the shops, coming across some truly adorable house-looking sculptures until I found Rachel’s Fairy Houses. These houses were actual houses: hollowed out logs, good pieces of bark, with floors and roofs and windows and each had a great big opening so the fairies can fly freely in and out. And once one flies in, I’m sure they’ll stay. Each house had a plethora of tiny little treasures. Soft beds in rich, royal colors. Bookcases stocked with bottles, books, tiny keys, and sparkly charms. Leaf-covered easy chairs and sofas. Wooden tables bedecked with bowls and goblets and tea pots and chairs for tired fairies to sit in. Some houses had writing desks and spell books and telescopes for the stargazers. Some had piles of glass beads and shells and chunks of quartz, pictures and leaves and feathers on the walls. Ferns and vines covered the outside. All had tiny little lights that filled the space inside with a warm, amber glow. And the best part was that each little house had room to place your own offerings and trinkets for the fairies. Just from the pictures, I knew this artist and her creations were special. I knew it so well that I had to drop her a line and tell her so.Through the next several weeks, I came back to Rachel’s shop often. It was a nice place to take a break from work, to dream about the houses and which one I think my fairy friend would want to live in. Many that I loved were listed and bought before I had a chance to get it. Then, I found one that just called to me. I didn’t have the money for it in the right account so I had to wait for it to transfer, gripped in a crazy kind of fear that it would be bought right out from under me. It wasn’t and, in only a week, my house, the one that was meant for me, arrived on Beltane. It couldn’t have been planned, it just happened to work out that way.
Shortly after purchasing my house and while waiting for it to arrive, I thought about the things I knew the artist could make that weren’t in my particular house, like the open spell book or desk with ink and quill. A new house she had listed featured a tiny fairy telescope and I really wanted that. I am a stargazer myself, some friends call me Skywatcher and expect me to know what is going on in the sky at all times. What I didn’t know was that the pictures on my work computer were coming up so dark that I couldn’t see all the details very well. It worked out better for me, because my breath caught when I unwrapped the part were the fairy telescope sat on its tripod.I’ve been saving up tiny things to add to my house. A few pieces of quartz from the local quartz vein, a crystal point, a tiny snail shell I found the day after buying the house while visiting my parents. I almost wish I didn’t have plans tonight, because I want to sit with my house and feel how happy my fairy friend is with it. I think a few fairies may have come for the journey, because my cat, Miss Luna was madly chasing something I couldn’t see until I got the house up and out of the cat’s reach. I also started writing a story inspired by Rachel’s Fairy Houses, before I had one of my own, knowing it would be featured when I did have one.
I remember being surprised that she seems to have a few repeat customers. These houses are expensive, in the grand scheme of things (but they are worth so much more than the price), and it amazed me that people keep coming back for more. I already know I am going to be one of those people. This artist has a gift, an eye for things in the Fairy Realm. You can feel the attention and the love that goes into her work. You can feel the care in the details, in the thorough wrapping to protect it while shipping. And you know she takes pride in her work and strives to satisfy her customers. I’m no longer surprised that people keep coming back. I’m already planning.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Alternatives
A few people have expressed admiration over the tiny crocheted shroom that my last Gnome was holding. Some of these people have asked me to make just the shroom and sometimes multiples. The difficulty of crocheting tightly with a tiny hook and slick cotton fibers means that I would like to avoid doing that again if at all possible. So, I can offer my friends some alternatives.
These three little red caps were made out of polymer clay. These guys are terribly easy to make and I can do several in a short amount of time. While I don't plan to sell any in my shop at this time, they will be used as props in many of the pictures I'll take for the shop. These are just about the same shape as the crocheted shroom and can stand on their own.
The other option is a needle felted shroom. Made out of unidentified types of wool, I can make one in one sixth of the time it took to crochet one. This was just a quick sample, I've got more roving on the way that I will use to make a few more. If any Gnome ever needs to hold another shroom, it will be a felted one.
If all else fails, I will point my friends to a few Etsy sellers who do seem to specialize in tiny crochet (and have tiny crocheted shrooms at times). My fingers just can't take much of it.
These three little red caps were made out of polymer clay. These guys are terribly easy to make and I can do several in a short amount of time. While I don't plan to sell any in my shop at this time, they will be used as props in many of the pictures I'll take for the shop. These are just about the same shape as the crocheted shroom and can stand on their own.
The other option is a needle felted shroom. Made out of unidentified types of wool, I can make one in one sixth of the time it took to crochet one. This was just a quick sample, I've got more roving on the way that I will use to make a few more. If any Gnome ever needs to hold another shroom, it will be a felted one.
If all else fails, I will point my friends to a few Etsy sellers who do seem to specialize in tiny crochet (and have tiny crocheted shrooms at times). My fingers just can't take much of it.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Maws and Shrooms
A couple weeks ago, a friend asked if I could crochet "the Maw," a blobby alien featured in an Xbox game. I don't have an Xbox and don't play the game, but I told my friend to send me a picture and I'd give it a try. After completing the first Maw, four other people said they wanted one too.
Run, sheep, run!!!
This was an exceptionally fun pattern to design. The head, body, eyeball, tongue, and collar are all made with acrylic yarn. The teeth are felt. These guys are stuffed with polyester fiber fill and polypropylene beads in the body for weight and support. One of these guys has a few random herbs in the head as well. I don't order them, I just make them!
Each Maw took about four hours to make. I'm actually very happy to say I'm done! Yay!
Another friend of mine had asked for a Garden Gnome. His Garden Gnome had to be special, though. It had to be holding a little mushroom. Now, my Gnomes don't have arms, so I figured a little mushroom (especially one at the scale of the Garden Gnomes) would be kind of difficult. I did suggest to my friend that I could make a significantly larger Gnome, based on a kokeshi-style pattern I have, and that would make little shrooms much easier. He never got back to me on which style he wanted me to work on, so I started with a traditional Gnome.
Gnome with shroom!
I've decided that I need to confirm if I can or cannot do something before I start suggesting alternatives. This Gnome, like all other Gnomes, is made from acrylic yarn, has safety eyes, and is stuffed with polyester fiber fill and polypropylene beads. The little mushroom was crocheted with a size 1 hook (almost too big) and cotton embroidery floss. It is stuffed with clippings from the Gnome's beard. The Garden Gnome took me about three hours to complete, as they tend to do. The arms and mushroom took an additional three hours to complete. Yikes! I must say, as fun as it was to crochet with embroidery floss, these guys will be very very rare. My fingers can't take too much of it!
I hope everyone likes what I made for them!
Run, sheep, run!!!This was an exceptionally fun pattern to design. The head, body, eyeball, tongue, and collar are all made with acrylic yarn. The teeth are felt. These guys are stuffed with polyester fiber fill and polypropylene beads in the body for weight and support. One of these guys has a few random herbs in the head as well. I don't order them, I just make them!
Each Maw took about four hours to make. I'm actually very happy to say I'm done! Yay!
Another friend of mine had asked for a Garden Gnome. His Garden Gnome had to be special, though. It had to be holding a little mushroom. Now, my Gnomes don't have arms, so I figured a little mushroom (especially one at the scale of the Garden Gnomes) would be kind of difficult. I did suggest to my friend that I could make a significantly larger Gnome, based on a kokeshi-style pattern I have, and that would make little shrooms much easier. He never got back to me on which style he wanted me to work on, so I started with a traditional Gnome.
Gnome with shroom!I've decided that I need to confirm if I can or cannot do something before I start suggesting alternatives. This Gnome, like all other Gnomes, is made from acrylic yarn, has safety eyes, and is stuffed with polyester fiber fill and polypropylene beads. The little mushroom was crocheted with a size 1 hook (almost too big) and cotton embroidery floss. It is stuffed with clippings from the Gnome's beard. The Garden Gnome took me about three hours to complete, as they tend to do. The arms and mushroom took an additional three hours to complete. Yikes! I must say, as fun as it was to crochet with embroidery floss, these guys will be very very rare. My fingers can't take too much of it!
I hope everyone likes what I made for them!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Evolution of a Garden Gnome
I made two Gnomes in this first style. There was the original Garden Gnome, and Happy Doctor Gnome, who was female (and therefore beardless) but with the same style hat. Happy Doctor Gnome was made in honor of another friend of mine, who is a doctor and doesn't hold it against me that I'm not very fond of many of them.
The only problem with these first two Gnomes is simply that I wasn't liking the hat, and the hair and beard process took forever and still didn't look exactly the way I wanted it to.
The next Garden Gnome got completely crocheted hair and beard, much like the hair I used on Happy Doctor Gnome, and a different style hat. This guy reminds many people of Santa Klaus. While the hat was improved, I still wasn't happy with it, and I was quite unhappy with the hair and beard process on Santa Gnome.
I bought some more amigurumi books and messed with some more patterns. I made a set of Garden Gnomes as Wizard of Oz characters. This came with its own complications. The new Gnome hat design worked great for the Scarecrow, Dorothy's hair needs some adjusting, but it works. The Cowardly Lion has a mane, which is not unlike a beard. Building upon the original Garden Gnome's hair and beard, and taking advice from the tips in one of my books, I ended up with a great Cowardly Lion.
I learned something else from my Wizard of Oz Gnomes. I wasn't happy with Garden Gnome hats of either style. While they were both the conical shape I wanted them, they just didn't look right. The Tin Man has a funnel headpiece and, in its construction, I learned how to adjust the slope and still get the hat wide enough to cover the head. With quite a few adjustments for Garden Gnome hats, I've finally gotten them just right. The way the hat sits on their little Gnome heads has made it necessary to fill their bottoms with polybeads for weight. This makes them not suitable as toys for young children. But, at least they'll stand up with minimal squishing.
My world is a gnomish place!
The only problem with these first two Gnomes is simply that I wasn't liking the hat, and the hair and beard process took forever and still didn't look exactly the way I wanted it to.
The next Garden Gnome got completely crocheted hair and beard, much like the hair I used on Happy Doctor Gnome, and a different style hat. This guy reminds many people of Santa Klaus. While the hat was improved, I still wasn't happy with it, and I was quite unhappy with the hair and beard process on Santa Gnome.
I bought some more amigurumi books and messed with some more patterns. I made a set of Garden Gnomes as Wizard of Oz characters. This came with its own complications. The new Gnome hat design worked great for the Scarecrow, Dorothy's hair needs some adjusting, but it works. The Cowardly Lion has a mane, which is not unlike a beard. Building upon the original Garden Gnome's hair and beard, and taking advice from the tips in one of my books, I ended up with a great Cowardly Lion.
This lead to the next stage of Garden Gnome evolution. Still with the same hairing method of the original Garden Gnome, I eliminated head hair, and just did a beard and mustache. I trimmed more of the beard and combed it out like I did for the Cowardly Lion.
I learned something else from my Wizard of Oz Gnomes. I wasn't happy with Garden Gnome hats of either style. While they were both the conical shape I wanted them, they just didn't look right. The Tin Man has a funnel headpiece and, in its construction, I learned how to adjust the slope and still get the hat wide enough to cover the head. With quite a few adjustments for Garden Gnome hats, I've finally gotten them just right. The way the hat sits on their little Gnome heads has made it necessary to fill their bottoms with polybeads for weight. This makes them not suitable as toys for young children. But, at least they'll stand up with minimal squishing.
I have a specific idea of what I think a Garden Gnome should look like and, after six months of evolution, I finally felt they were perfect. It was September-ish that I finally settled on the design.
My world is a gnomish place!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Garden Gnomes: The Beginning
Almost a year ago, a friend of mine was having some odd health issues. She was gaining weight and couldn't diet or exercise it off. She was extremely tired and spent a lot of time feeling ill. She thought she had a parasite in her stomach. Her partner teased her about that, and said it was a garden gnome. Truly, I have no idea how she came up with that!
In honor of her partner's assessment, I made my friend the very first Garden Gnome.
She spent quite a while dealing with her complaints until one morning, when she swore up and down that she could feel the mysterious Garden Gnome parasite moving around in her belly. With great concern, she left work to see a doctor and returned with news that shocked everyone but me: she was seven months pregnant! I had told her it was probably that, but she denied it with certainty.
As it happened, the nickname of Garden Gnome just stuck with her little son, so I suppose I could say my little godson is the inspiration behind my Garden Gnomes, and definitely why they are the main focus of my crocheting. How is that for a beginning?
Next: Garden Gnomes evolve, did you know they could?
In honor of her partner's assessment, I made my friend the very first Garden Gnome.
She spent quite a while dealing with her complaints until one morning, when she swore up and down that she could feel the mysterious Garden Gnome parasite moving around in her belly. With great concern, she left work to see a doctor and returned with news that shocked everyone but me: she was seven months pregnant! I had told her it was probably that, but she denied it with certainty.
As it happened, the nickname of Garden Gnome just stuck with her little son, so I suppose I could say my little godson is the inspiration behind my Garden Gnomes, and definitely why they are the main focus of my crocheting. How is that for a beginning?
Next: Garden Gnomes evolve, did you know they could?
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