Fusion Open House ~ Summer 2012

Well, it might as well be summer already considering we’ve had 10 days in March over 80 degrees. It’s unheard of this time of year in St. Louis. But that just means we are close to Fusion’s Open House! Just what is it exactly? It gives a chance… you the artist or crafter, to stop by the shop and ask us questions! Come by anytime on Monday, April 9, 2012, between 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

For more info, check the Apply tab at the top of the webpage!

WHAT: Fusion Open House
WHEN: Monday, April 9, 2012, anytime from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
WHERE: 209 Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield, MO 63017, 2nd level in the Sears Wing

17 Questions (Because 17 Is Better Than 10) With Andrea Lammle of Zenbot Baby

We have a great bunch of artists working and showing here at Fusion, and it’s really exciting for me to be able to share them with you all!  There’s always things we wish we could ask artists when we are looking at their work, but often they are not around to ask.  One of the things I find difficult when I meet artists at our Open Houses or at shows is finding that first question to get a dialogue going. As I’ve gotten to know my artist friends though, the questions just sort of build on themselves.  So, with the help of our friend Jessi at I Am What I Am on Main Street (who I’ve shamelessly stolen a lot of these questions from), and friends from the crafting community, I’ve compiled this list of questions to get the ball rolling.

This weeks featured artist is Andrea Lammle of Zenbot Baby. Described by some as a super hero, Andrea is  a member of both the St. Louis Craft Mafia and Show me Etsy, and is very active in the local crafting community. Using her powers mostly for good, she lends both her crafting talents as well as her skills as a graphic designer to many local craft endeavors. We’re really glad that she’s and that she was able to take a minute to answer our 17 questions.

What do you create?
I create sewn handmade goods that fill some sort of need. A diaper change kit for the mom & dad on the go. A sandwich wrap for those trying to reduce waste. A coffee cozy for the caffeine addict who wants to be just a little more eco-conscious and stylish.

What is your bestseller?
That’s a difficult one to answer. My best seller changes from season to season, year to year.

If you had to describe your crafting style in three words, what would they be?
Modern, functional & fun.

What goes into making your creations?
A stiff back from sitting at the sewing machine, lots of coffee and lots of podcasts. (Nerdist & Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show are my favorites)

How long does it take to make your product?
Depends on the product. I tend to assembly line my items so at the end of a few hours I can have anywhere from 5-10 items.

Are there any materials that you have used in your products that you think may be unexpected?
I use a fabric most commonly used for modern cloth diapers. It’s machine wash friendly and can be sanitized by a high-temp wash. It’s a dream fabric.

Why handmade?
Why not? With a handmade product you can usually bet on it lasting longer and being made by someone who is passionate about the product they put out.

What do you think differentiates crafting from other types of business?
The sense of community. In our crafting community, we want to help and see each other succeed. We are not an overly competitive bunch.

What do you enjoy most about selling your handmade goods?
I enjoy interacting with my customers and talking about who they are buying it for or how they’ll use it.

What personality Trait do you possess that you think helps you the most as a professional crafter?
I’m a “creative obsessive.” I have to be doing something creative at all periods in my life. Art & craft is something that has always been around and always will in my life. Right now, it’s sewing. Who knows what it will be in the next few years!

Do you take custom orders?
Yes, indeedy!

Who are you outside of the business?
I’m a mom, wife, exercise enthusiast, Whovian, Nerdist, Downton Devotee, Fillion Fan girl, Comedy idiot-savant, and Dave Matthews Band fanatic.

Do you buy handmade, and why?
I try to! I like to support other handmade artists!

Do you have any short-term goals?
I hope to take my wares out of state this year and expand my audience.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years? 10?
I don’t know. I hope to still be making a living off of my own creativity and sharing art and craft with my family.

Where can we find you to see more of your work, ask questions, and give you our money?
The interwebz at my Etsy – zenbotbaby.etsy.com and my website for my show schedule: www.zenbotbaby.com

Who shot first, Han or Greedo?
Han shot first, dammit.

Thanks Andrea for chatting with us today about the who, what and why of Zenbot Baby! Learning about the materials and work behind my fellow crafter’s work always inspires me to work harder at the things I do.  How about you all out there in blog-land? Is there any thing that you’re just dying to know about Andrea and her eco-friendly creations? Leave us a comment!  We’d love to hear what you have to say!

Links:

• Zenbot Baby’s website: www.zenbotbaby.com
• Zenbot Baby on Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/zenbotbaby
• Zenbot Baby on Facebook: www.facebook.com/zenbotbaby

Make Your Own Scented Bath & Body Products at Fusion!

Traveling Bare Naked Medicine Show and Apothecary Day
Have you ever wanted to make your own signature scent? Sweet Nectar Spa, who sells here at Fusion, will be hosting a Traveling Bare Naked Medicine Show and Apothecary event. They will be bringing their best powders, oil, scrubs, butters, and sprays – but they’re coming to the party BARE NAKED! You can make your own scented sugar scrubs, body sprays and hair products… and that’s just the tip of iceberg of the products they are bringing! For more info, check out the link HERE.

WHEN: Sunday, April 1, 2012, from Noon – 4 p.m. Come by anytime and stay as long as you like!
WHERE: 209 Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield, MO 63017, 2nd level in the Sears Wing

5 Blogs That I ALWAYS Enjoy With My Morning Tea…

“There’s no better way to lose readers than to stop writing”. I don’t know if that’s an actual quote, but it sounds like it should be…so there it is. I’ve been talking a lot over the past few weeks about making our mark and making connections in this community.  Well, talking about these things is one thing, and I try to live up to the ideas I write about. This week I’ve put together a round-up of some of my favorite blogs. I follow a lot of blogs, but these are some of the ones that I look forward to, and I always get excited when I see a new post in my in-box.

It might sound silly, but Joe-A-Day is a great blog. This is a guy who knows exactly what he wants to talk about, and who his audience is. He posts every day, and is passionate about what he’s talking about: G.I.Joe action figures. To be completely honest, part of what makes this blog compelling to me is that I’m a guy of a certain age… I remember my older brothers getting the first 5 ‘Joes for Christmas when I was 6 or 7 and thinking they were the coolest things in the world. Which brings me to the second reason I find this blog compelling. Every figure he talks about and reviews has a personal story. Sometimes it’s a story about tracking that character down, and sometimes it’s a memory from his childhood about the the how and why he thought it was so cool (or lame). The point is, this isn’t just a blog cataloging a collection of dolls action figures. It’s a memoir using these miniature soldiers as a backdrop.

The route we take to discovering the blogs we enjoy is rarely straight forward it seems. Every now and again, one will show up in my feed and I’ll wonder where it even came from.  This isn’t one of those. I discovered Vivian of Oh Shoot! through an etsy site run by her and some friends out of San Francisco, Polka Dot Robot.  This is a good example of how each of our sites are connected and should (ideally) channel viewers back to each other. I continue to read her blog for it’s varied content: stories about her daily life, monthly goals, projects, plans and biking. She takes lots of great photos, and where the photos aren’t hers, they fit the content so well, and she’s really good about crediting the source (which is something we should all be better about). All of these things give her blog a certain tangibility, that makes it feel and read like a journal. (Image found here.)

Speaking of photos, I ran across this one by Julie Marie Craig from Always With Butter and fell. in. love. This one is such a wonderful example of the ability to share our interests and passions online. Also the branding is super consistent, and says handmade and attention to detail, all the way through. I have found that I love to read about food. Maybe it’s that feeling of satisfaction and comfort that comes from sitting down at the table with people you love and having a great meal that I relate to. Or maybe it’s the passion of the cook in making some thing wonderful that was always meant to be shared. At any rate, reading this blog, you can tell that Julie really enjoys what she’s doing. Also, I love how she sets up all of her recipes up on a downloadable card with handwritten and typed elements, instead of just typing them in the body of the blog. Details like that, combined with the stories and photos surrounding the recipes really add to the handmade feel of this blog, and the feeling of hanging out in the kitchen with a friend.

Aesthetic Outburst is one of those blogs that I honestly have no idea how I got there (though I suspect it was through Pinterest).  At first glance, it was a blog about a family renovating an old farm house, but it’s turned out to be more than that. Updated daily by Abbey Hendrickson, it’s about her family, her life as a freelance artist and crafter, renovating their farm house, and her love of art. She does a weekly round up of cool things she finds on the web as well. This sort of varied content stays thematically focused because it reflects her personal interests, and really helps us to feel like we’re getting to know her personally.

Finally we have Connie To The Wonnie by Connie Sun. I found this by following through a comment left on my friend Ben Hatke’s blog. I can’t stress enough how important it is to leave thoughtful comments that contribute to the conversation on blogs you follow. Not only does it let the writer know that you enjoy what they have to say, but it also provides a path for others to hear what you have to say. Connies blog is set up as an illustrated status message a day, and it is wonderful. First off, she’s consistent, she posts every week day. Her posts are also short, the time spent for me to read them is very small, and the payoff is almost always funny and/or insightful. I also really enjoy that she experiments with the drawings, and does a mix of cartoons and life sketches.

So, now you can picture my mornings standing at the kitchen counter, drinking tea and eating cereal…and reading blogs. I hope you take a minute and go check some of them out yourself, and leave them a comment, help continue those conversations.  What are some of the blogs you look forward to reading? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Links:

• Aesthetic Outburst: www.aestheticoutburst.blogspot.com
• Always With Butter: alwayswithbutter.blogspot.com
• Connie To The Wonnie: www.conniewonnie.com
• Joe A Day: www.joeaday.com
• Oh Shoot!: ohshoot.typepad.com/oh-shoot
• Polka Dot Robot: www.etsy.com/shop/polkadotrobots

17 Questions (Because 17 is Better than 10) with Dana Diaz de Leon of Dana’s Creations

We have a great bunch of artists working and showing here at Fusion, and it’s really exciting for me to be able to share them with you all!  There’s always things we wish we could ask artists when we are looking at their work, but often they are not around to ask.  One of the things I find difficult when I meet artists at our Open Houses or at shows is finding that first question to get a dialogue going. As I’ve gotten to know my artist friends though, the questions just sort of build on themselves.  So, with the help of our friend Jessi at I Am What I Am on Main Street (who I’ve shamelessly stolen a lot of these questions from), and friends from the crafting community, I’ve compiled this list of questions to get the ball rolling.

Our first featured artist is Dana Diaz De Leon who has been with Fusion since 2009. We posed 17 questions to her about her work, life and thoughts on being a part of the handmade community.

What do you create?
I create bold and energizing paintings of  things I am passionate about, such as music, nature, food and life. I also make large paper flowers, a face painter, live artist, illustrator, graphic artist and muralist.

What is your bestseller?
My art prints and murals.

If you had to describe your artistic style in three words, what would they be?
“Impressionistic, Energizing, Bold”

What goes into making your creations?
“My heart, thought, time, research, preliminary drawings, color plan, design, and an array of painting materials.”

How long does it take to make your product?
“One day to 3 weeks depending on the size and detail.”

Are there any materials that you have used in your products that you think may be unexpected?
“I use old textile woodblocks from india in some of the background layers.”

Why are you an artist?
“I am an artist because I love bringing my passion, ideas and emotions into a visual reminder and reality now and forever.”

What do you think differentiates crafting from other types of business?
“Out of the ordinary items”

What do you enjoy most about selling your handmade goods?
“Knowing that someone appreciates and likes my work.  Plus I have money to buy more supplies, Yeah!”
What personality Trait do you possess that you think helps you the most as a professional crafter?
“I’m passionately driven.”

Do you take custom orders?
Yes yes yes!!!!

Who are you outside of the business?
“A mom of 5, wife, American Idol & So You Think You Can Dance junky, Christian, Bunko activist, shower singing, radio/music blaring, booty shaking , bit crazy, Happy ARTiholic.”

Do you buy handmade, and why?
“Yes. Because I like things unique and artistic.”

Do you have any short-term goals?
“Yes I am learning Adobe Illustrator 5 and photography.”

Where do you hope to be in 5 years? 10?
“In more art galleries all over. I hope to be doing licensing with my work.”

Where can we find you to see more of your work, ask questions, and give you our money?
   “Art Trends Gallery in Chesterfield, I Am What I Am in St. Charles, St Louis Girl Scout Shop (100 year G.S. Poster), Cafe’ Cioccolato in St. Louis, E.L. Riley in Kirkwood.  For any current  galleries or local businesses shows featuring my artwork check my Blog,  http://danascreationsblog.blogspot.com/  , or my website http://www.DanasCreations.com/“

Who shot first, Han or Greedo?
Greedo…but he missed so Han shoots and kills. May the force be with you!

Thanks Dana for taking the time to talk with today about your work! I love hearing passionate people talk about what they are passionate about?  How about you, dear readers? Is there any thing that you’re just dying to know about Dana and her paintings? Leave us a comment!  We’d love to hear what you have to say!

Links:

• Dana’s Blog: http://danascreationsblog.blogspot.com
• Dana’s Website: http://www.DanasCreations.com
• I Am What I Am on Mainstreet: http://iamwhatiamonmainstreet.blogspot.com
• E.L. Riley: On Facebook

Sometimes, blogging is like having a conversation with yourself. It’s part letter to friends, part conversation, and part “dear diary”. What got me thinking about this is what I said last week about remembering who my audience is, and staying on track talking about indie-crafts and the crafting community. Not…Whatever else comes into my head. I have a lot of ideas for things to write about, but right around last Tuesday I had a sort of blogging panic attack. What if the content I’m offering here isn’t what people are looking for? What can I do differently? Should I do any thing differently? Do people want DIY tutorials for how to make macrame seat covers? Seriously…Freaking. Out. So I did what any sensible person would do, went for a walk, made a cup of tea, and took a look at the list of blogs that I follow.  Guess how many of them regularly feature tutorials. One. So what does this tell me about content in blogland?

Doogie Howser, proto-blogger

If Doogie Howser were set in the 2010s, instead of the 1990s I bet he’d be writing a blog, instead of “Dear Diary” on his word processor. What kept us coming back week after week had little to do with us wanting to be a doctor. What made it compelling was that it was about how similar this kid was to us. He still fell in love, and had friends, and got in trouble. We were interested in his life and lifestyle. Tutorial posts are great for pinning on pinterest, and used sparingly they can be informative, and provide some insights into the working methods of varied creators. It’s these stories that keep us coming back for more, right? It’s hard to develop a relationship with people with just a collection of tutorials.  Doogie Howser would be a boring show if it just showed how the kid doctor inserted an IV, or made a small incision on the anterior wall of the aortal chamber. Whew!

I mentioned that I have plans for future posts, and maybe now’s the time to share some of them with you. First I’m working on a list of questions so that we can get to know the working artists at Fusion. Maybe that way we won’t all be confused when somebody mentions a Frit, or Hypertufa.  Ha-ha-ha! I’d like to talk about influences and inspiration, and am collecting some really cool pictures for that. I also have a plan for a series of posts inspired by the movie (and book) “Julie and Julia” and my friend Annie Schap’s blog Sticky Kisses. “Julie and Julia” is about a woman named Julie who decides to make every recipe in Julia Childs’ cook book in a year, and blog about it. Annie wrote a post recently about crafting blogs and how they always make everything seem so…perfect. Like their homes and lives are always tidy and cute.  Ha-ha-ha! I know mine isn’t. So using Pinterest as my guide, I’ll be tackling some craft projects, and trying out some new things.  Hopefully some of them come out good, and hopefully my failures are hilarious.  What are some things that you’d like to see here? Do you have any burning questions for a stay-at-home dad, crafter, and blogger? Leave us a comment and let us know!

I know that I said last week that I shouldn’t talk about Star Wars all the time, because this isn’t a blog about starwars, it’s about crafting and the crafting community.  I’m going to make an exception today though.  A couple of days ago, Illustrator Ralph McQuarrie died. While Mr. Lucas’ name may be synonymous with Star Wars, Ralph was the original illustrator that brought all those visions that changed our lives to…well…life. There’s a nice slideshow of Ralph’s work on the official Star Wars website, starwars.com.

Links:

• Sticky Kisses: http://beanieschapini.blogspot.com
• Julie and Julia on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135503

Social Media and You: Effective Posting

How do we make our small voice heard in this sea of voices crying out?

Being in shows and attending events as a part of the crafting community is about building personal relationships. Meeting both your fellow crafters and your customers and developing connections with them is easy when you’re face to face. Our mutual excitement about what we’re doing and making can be contagious, but what about connecting with people online? Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked about developing an online presence. Pinterest is a great way to share your interests and inspirations. Facebook, Flickr, DeviantArt, your website or your blog are great ways to share what you’ve made or are making. Etsy or BigCartel are excellent ways to sell your work online. With all these people and sites out there, how do you get people to pay attention? How can you make your one, small voice heard in this sea of people clamoring for attention? I won’t pretend that I’m an expert on this, but looking at the people that I pay attention to, this is what they have in common: They tell stories, they are passionate about what they have to say, they post regularly.

We get to know each other throught the stories we tell, not the facts we know.

We get to know each other through the stories we tell, not the facts we know. I see this all the time in real life when I’m talking to my friends and family. A story about a friend who slipped on wet tile and got hurt just means more to me than knowing that slips are the second most frequent accidents leading to personal injury.  So why should it work any differently online? Stories don’t have to be a short novel on your blog about growing up in a small farming community in rural Missouri or anything. They can be as simple as a status update or tweet about something from your day, like this:

“I decided to take a nap this afternoon, and now I’m paying for it as I do invoicing and some design work and a blog post…That’s what I get. “

Or even like this:

Abby learned why it’s not a good idea to ride her Captain America Bounce Ball at the top of the stairs this morning. After I got her cleaned up and calmed down, she said “That wasn’t fun at all…”

Sort of an understatement, I think.

The important thing is to keep these things short, and to give the people who follow you an idea of who you are. Feeling like we know each other is what allows us to connect. Observations followed by questions that encourage conversation are also great ways to draw your audience into the ongoing story. When I ask questions I’m usually not looking for facts, I can Google those. What I am looking for is a conversation, a continuation of the story. I really enjoy reading blogs about peoples daily lives, their families, and the things they make together, like my friend Ben and his family. 

Finding your voice in the community can sometimes feel like a lonely journey through the desert.

Brave Tart, one of the blogs I read said this about blogging: “people don’t blog about hobbies. People blog about their life”. I wouldn’t write blog posts if I wasn’t passionate about things. I like to talk about the things I’m interested in, and I hope that comes across. How do I choose what things to talk about though? I’ve had a life-long love affair with Star Wars. Often conversations will turn to the merits of having a good blaster at your side, but I realize that not everyone I meet knows or even cares about it. One of my friends told me that it’s “…a movie about robots walking in the desert.” That’s all she remembers about it. So while it’s okay to mention Star Wars because it’s a big part of who I am and a part of my story, I have to remember that this is an indie-craft blog. I choose my topics based on what I think the community wants to hear about: business, networking, what other community members are up to, projects, and how I feel like  that relates to the world.

Finally, post regularly. I’m not talking about obnoxious “hey look at me!” posts, begging for more followers or just announcing that you have a fresh blog post or that you’re going to be at such-and-such show. Those do have their place (how are new readers even going to know that you have a blog otherwise?), but it’s hard for people to care about that stuff if they don’t like you. I know I like to hear about my friends triumphs, and I feel heartbroken for them when things don’t go right. Our blogs, status updates, tweets, instagram photos and comments provide a lasting chronicle of who we are, and are an important part of consistent branding. They are what makes people care about us, and that is a big part of the added value of handmade over factory produced.

What are some of your favorite blogs? Have you found that you’re interested in reading about things that you never expected? What’s the average airspeed of an unladen swallow? Leave us a comment, we’d love to add you to our story!

Links:

• Brave Tart: http://bravetart.com
• Art and Adventure: http://letflythecannons.blogspot.com