Design, Inspiration, Marketing, Sustainability

Random Thoughts: The Satisfied Customer

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This post was written by Stephen Parsons.

Why do we do it? Why do art and craft entrepreneurs put their products and reputation out there in the marketplace? Business objectives are different for each business owner, I guess, but some  would seem more important than others. But how important is profit as an objective compared to other – perhaps more altruistic – objectives?

Piper – apparent satisfied customer

While profit and the need to express one’s artistic creativity and passion are goals we might think at the top of the list, Continue reading Random Thoughts: The Satisfied Customer →

Design, Materials, Work In Progress

WIP: Studio (re)Organization     

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This post was written by Mary Elizabeth O’Toole

Organizing a creative work space can be a challenge.  Keeping it organized even more so. Even when everything has its place, there are often times when not everything is in its place. At any given time there might be projects in different stages of completion, tools that were recently used Continue reading WIP: Studio (re)Organization      →

Marketing, Resources, Technology in Art, Tools and Equipment

Tech Tuesday: Selling Art & Crafts Online

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Today’s post is written by Stephen Parsons.

Gartner Hype Cycle of Technology Adoption

As a web application developer around the start of the 21st century, I recall the beginning of the e-commerce era as being one of extremely complex and technical development. I developed and taught e-commerce/ e-marketing programs at Holland College and Nova Scotia Community College from about 1998 through 2003 when the depth of technical knowledge that both developers and business owners needed to implement e-commerce was substantial, often prohibitively so for small craft businesses like ours. Continue reading Tech Tuesday: Selling Art & Crafts Online →

Inspiration

Take a Hike

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This post was written by Mary Elizabeth O’Toole

The phrase take a hike has taken on an idiomatic sense of dismissal “Beat it. I’m tired of talking to you. Go away. Take a hike.”

I am using it in the more traditional sense of taking a walk, getting out and exploring.  Sometimes it is just necessary to get away from what you are doing to shake off the stiffness and clear the cobwebs. Taking a hike is good for both physical and mental fitness. Continue reading Take a Hike →

Art Quilts, Design, Quilting, Technology in Art

Tech Tuesday: Basic Photo Editing

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This post was written by Mary Elizabeth O’Toole

Increasingly my quilting preference is realistic art quilts from photos.  Photography has been a hobby since I bought my first SLR camera in high school. We don’t need to discuss how many years ago that was. I have progressed from that first camera, a well-loved and well used K-100 Pentax work horse, through a series of digital cameras Continue reading Tech Tuesday: Basic Photo Editing →

Art Quilts, Resources

WIP: Fabric Dyeing

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This post was written by Mary Elizabeth O’Toole

With the snow fast disappearing, I decided that I’d better get in another session of snow dyeing before I lost the chance for the season. I had intended to get into the city to pick up some more supplies but didn’t get the chance so I had to work with what I had around because the weather forecast was calling for more rain. I decided to experiment with what I had around the house. Continue reading WIP: Fabric Dyeing →

Design, Technology in Art

Tech Tuesday: The Laser

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Today’s post is written by Stephen Parsons

In an earlier post we mentioned that we had bought a laser engraver from Gearbest – our first – to supplement some of the work in our shop, notably things like small engraving tasks and marking cuts for the band saw and scroll saw. Now that we have it together, I thought it might be a good time to bring you up to speed on our success (and challenges) to date. Continue reading Tech Tuesday: The Laser →

Inspiration

Creating Creative Inspiration

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This post was written by Mary Elizabeth O’Toole

I have been trying to write my weekend post for a few days but nothing has been working.  I have started a few articles.  Some of wondered off on unrelated, and sadly uninspired tangents.  A few have been added to my ‘need to develop’ file.  Others might work for a collection of random ideas in a summary piece.  A number of the promising starts just were not working for me – at least not yet.  It seems that the only thing to do is let the ramblings take me where they want to go today and use this lack of creative stimulation as my starting point. Continue reading Creating Creative Inspiration →

Turning, Woodworking, Work In Progress

Renaissance Man or ADD?

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Today’s post is written by Stephen Parsons.

Leonardo DaVinci – the Maestro

I have long been fascinated by the life and work of Leonardo Davinci. So, when my wife and I traveled to Italy in 2015, we sought out opportunities to explore historic sites that were connected to  the maestro. This renaissance painter, sculptor, mathematician, physician, builder, inventor and philosopher (among other talents) is an inspiration to me. My own Portfolio speaks to my curiosita and interest in numerous fields inspired, in part, by Davinci and other renaissance men. But recently, I came to wonder if I (and the maestro, for that matter) are actually renaissance men, or simply suffering attention deficit? Continue reading Renaissance Man or ADD? →

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