Today we're having a chat with Chelsea from Notional Notions.

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Tell us a bit about who you are. I'm originally from California but I studied art in Texas and then moved to Italy for two years. I love to travel and have a hard time staying in one place or sticking to a singular medium. But overall, I'm a pretty easy going lady.

Tell us about your craft and how you got started. I've been drawing for as long as I can remember but I really got adventurous with my craft in college. That's where I fell in love with bookmaking and watercolor illustration. But I've tried everything from Intaglio printmaking and welding to tattooing and children's book illustration. I like being a Jane of all trades, master of none. 

Where do you get your inspiration from? Everywhere, and that's no exaggeration. My art space, "the bubble," is typically a gigantic mess because I've gathered so many postcards/books/photos and ideas from places I've traveled to (and hoping to travel to one day!). 

Who is your favourite artist/creative person? Hard to pick just one, it usually changes depending upon what I'm working on. A couple I've been loving lately are Janice MacLeod's travel letters/illustrations, Stephanie Brown's tattoo work and designs, and the lettering work of Jessica Hische. 

What do you love most about what you do? I love getting my hands dirty, this is likely why I struggle with the digital art realm so much! My art bubble may be messy but that usually means I'm happy and creating. 

What do you do when you're not creating? For my 'real grown-up job,' I teach art lessons. Which is a pretty awesome alternative to not making my own work; getting to hang out with kiddos and essentially just play and watch them create. It can be pretty amazing watching what they come up with! 

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Thanks for sharing with us today, Chelsea!

Featured Sponsor :: Notional Notions

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Chelsea is such a talented lady; just take a look at all the different things she can do! - book binding, painting, jewellery marking - so talented!! Here is a peek of some of my favourites from her shop, Notional Notions:

Head on over and find your own favourites!

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Meet My February Sponsors!

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now? This was my (Frenchie) first favourite on Etsy a couple years ago and it is still the product I go back to every time I say to myself, “what do I want to splurge on?” It is my style to a “T”, but it’s a jacket you’ll never find in stores around here. I can’t wait to buy it someday.

What do you want to get the most out of 2013? In 2013 we really want to push ourselves with creativity. We want to have signature fragrances--ones that people can’t figure out, but can’t get enough of. We want to be “the candle couple” to those local to us, and to really place ourselves up above the competition. We’ve both always believed that if you aren’t working towards improvement, you aren’t working hard enough. 

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now? This embroidered plush dove made by Olivia from Poofy Dove is so wonderful, hundreds of tiny stitches making up his feathery appearance. Just love this bird!

What do you want to get the most out of 2013? To be more organized; I want to find the balance between work and family, and to be debt free.

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So, obviously, you're not on Etsy. So my first question for you is what has been the most successful thing in helping you gain a healthier lifestyle? Setting goals and being committed to being healthy, working out pretty much every day, and committing to knowing that this is a lifestyle change, not a diet - which is something you start to get certain results, and it ends once you get the results you want. Keeping this in mind every single day is what has helped me; it keeps my "eye on the prize" so to speak. It's a lot of hard work, but it's totally worth it!

Looking at your website, I see that you have already met some of your own fitness goals. Can you tell me about them? The goal I am working towards right now is losing 100 lbs in one year. I'm at 98 lbs down now, and February 28 is my "due date". Your readers will be able to check back with me next month, to see if I've met that goal!

And, like all these other sponsors, you are a small business owner. What do you want to get the most out of 2013? I want to be able to help as many people as I possibly can to lose weight, live healthier lives, and touch people's lives in a positive and inspiring way. People only get one body, and if they take care of it now, the less "maintenance" (prescriptions, doctor's visits, hospital visits, etc) they will have to do later on!

There you go! February's sponsors. Aren't they awesome??!

Featured Sponsor :: Friendly Fire Candles

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I think I may have just found my new favourite thing on Etsy!!! Just as good as searching for that perfect bar of soap, searching for candles is just as exciting!!! And the pictures really help, since the props are a symbol of what scent the candles are - yummy!!! Here are a few of my favourites:

I can't wait to try one of them; I just can't decide which one to try first! Any suggestions?!

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Sponsor Awesomeness

Here is a gallery of some of the awesomeness of this month's sponsors.

Click on their buttons on the right column of my blog to see their shops.

Bid farewell to your makers.

'Tis that time again, my dear readers. Time to bid farewell to this month's sponsors. Travel is on my mind lately; probably because it's what I really want to do. Anyhoo, here is a little snippet of a picture of the things they make. 

1. Shadke

2. SofiaSobeide

3. Shannybeebo

4. Reclaim2Fame

Sponsor Call

It's that time of the month - time to look for blogs to advertise on. And Trees.Hides. is available for sponsors! What a coincidence! lol

 

 

Here are the stats:

 

Trees.Hides. has over 1825 followers via

GFC, Bloglovin, Linky Followers, Hellocotton, Twitter,

Facebook, and my fabulous newsletter.

Pageviews have increased by 17% from last month.

 

If you're interested in more information about sponsoring my blog, head on over to the sponsor page, where you will find information about the ad space options, giveaway options, and how to purchase your ad space - it's super easy, but if you have any questions, just email me! The featured ad spot has been purchased, but there are lots of space left for the large spots - only $5.00 for the whole month!!

 



Meet Your Maker

It was weird when I discovered that four of my sponsors' names start with "S". And my name is Shirley. There's something to that, there is. Now, there were a few sponsors who were too busy, so you won't have a chance to meet them right now.

Anyways. Come and meet the people who are on the right column of my blog.

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now?
I have so many favorites. But I love this timeless journal. I have a penguin journal myself and I love it. Love the idea that it is timeless and therefor no waste of paper. And it's cute.

What is your new year resolutions?
I usually don't have any resolutions. But my resolutions for 2013 is to graduate and to get married.

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now?
I think this pillow would be perfect in our Living Room or our bedroom. I've been in love with the work by timberps since I back when he opened his shop. That was just after I began selling on Etsy.

What is your new year resolutions?
 I don't usually make resolutions, but I have set numerous goals for myself this year.  I have personal ones and business ones.  The primary thing I'm focusing on is building my illustration career.  I'm currently working on promotional materials, and I have been doing a lot of local networking, which is already beginning to pay off.  I also have set a goal to create one new sketch each and every day this year.  It doesn't have to take long.  I just want to have a habit of creating a new drawing every day... no matter how busy life gets with the kiddos.  Other projects that shall currently remain unnamed will be revealed throughout the year.  Each one of them is something I've been wanting to do for quite some time, so I'm thrilled about the things that 2013 holds in store for me.  On a personal level, one of the goals I have made is to take the boys to more art events and just enjoy the things that are available for entertainment in this area.  (After all, we live 20 miles from NYC.)  We've already started on a positive note in this department, because I took the wee ones to an art installation in the city about a week ago.  They loved it, and so did I.  Who says you need to be a specific age to enjoy art?

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now?

I adore this piece. The detail and soft look is amazing! I could have listed a thousand things here... I kept coming back to this beautiful piece of art.

What is your new year resolutions?
I plan on adding more items to my shop :), adding more items to a few art galleries in the area and attending several summer art festivals (Dreading tx heat). I also plan on making my 90 year old grandfather a TX shaped clock covered in magazine beads. Little info...he nicknamed me Shannybeebo when I was in diapers. We browsed my shop and he loves the paper beads! He's still my hero...even though I'm 40.

Sponsor in January!

2013 is going to be a great year, don't you think? I already have some big plans for The Orange Windmill, and for Trees.Hides. (more on that another day).

And now that Christmas is over, it's the perfect time to start thinking about your advertising budget for this coming year. Trees.Hides. is continuing to offer the same low rates in 2013 as in 2012, but you are getting more bang for your buck! With almost daily posts, there will be a constant stream of visitors.

Here are the stats:

Trees.Hides. has over 1800 followers via

GFC, Bloglovin, Linky Followers, Hellocotton, Twitter,

Facebook, and my fabulous newsletter.

Pageviews have increased by 20% from last month.

If you're interested in more information about sponsoring my blog, head on over to the sponsor page, where you will find information about the ad space options, giveaway options, and how to purchase your ad space - it's super easy, but if you have any questions, just email me!

December sponsor love

Each of these ladies were so busy during this holiday season, so I couldn't expect them to answer all the questions I had for them. So I scrounged up pictures and a little bio about each (I totally stalked some of them to find the pictures!).

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Love my sponsors!

This month's sponsors are a great group of people. Here is a way for you to get to know them beyond the wonders of their shops.

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now? These eco-friendly wool slippers. I love how she uses recycled fabrics for her work.

What is your favourite memory of the holiday season? Not sure if I can pick a specific memory. Most of my Christmas' from childhood on were busy family filled events. They still are and I look forward each year to another Christmas spent with family.

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now? This is my favorite item on Etsy. It is full of whimsy, excitement, innovation and recycled parts.

What is your favourite memory of the holiday season? I have so many favorite memories of Christmas, that is it like a photo album when I look back. The memory of school Christmas plays, family gatherings, caroling, snow, no snow, favorite gifts, Christmas eve service or midnight mass, food, cookie decorating, I would have to say one part of each of these memories would be family. That is my favorite memory of the Christmas season for me is remembering family.

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now? I love this shop. I just everything she makes. She's become a friend of mine from doing so many fairs together, and also from being one of her most faithful customers.

What is your favourite memory of the holiday season? Favorite memory: I was 5 years old. I remember waking up early Christmas morning and accidentally catching my mom placing the presents but she played it off like she was just checking to see what Santa brought me. I opened the biggest box first and it was an NES!! I built a fort from the couch cushions and pillows, and played Super Mario Bros. & Duck Hunt from within the fort. The greatest Christmas morning ever.

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What is your favourite item on Etsy right now? My husband recently bought this for me and I absolutely love it! I bathe in it lol, the scent is subtle and just beautiful.

What is your favourite memory of the holiday season? Back in December of 2007, I suspected I was pregnant... I waited to take the test Christmas morning... it was positive. :) Best Cristmas ever!

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Etsy Shop | Blog | Facebook 1 | Facebook 2 | Twitter

What is your favourite item on Etsy right now? My friend Janine makes these amazing earrings and over half of my jewelry is by her. She's just an amazingly talented artist!

What is your favourite memory of the holiday season? When I was still living at home with my dad, my favorite holiday memory was driving around and looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve. My boyfriend now humors me by doing this and realizes it's very important to me to have holiday traditions!

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I have loved getting to know each of you better this month! Thank you for your cooperation in making this post a reality, despite your very very busy lives! :)

ps - Don't forget to enter this week's link-up... here.