Friday Feature -- Handmade Whimzy

This week's featured Etsy artist is Tricia of Handmade Whimzy . I have a soft spot for nifty aprons, so I was especially impressed with the ones in her shop, like this Turquoise Peapod apron:

So pretty!!! Enjoy the interview!

1. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?

I belong to Etsymom Team and Etsy Texas Crafters

2. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?

My shop started out as a jewelry shop but has evolved into a sewing shop. I primarily make aprons but I also make scented sachets, eye pillows and hope to start making kitchen accessories in the future. I also make beaded and ribbon bookmarks because they’re fun to make and they sell well.

I started sewing when I was about 8 or 9. My mother sewed and I would watch her. I think I was about 10 when I joined 4-H and made my first outfit for a contest. It was awful. The ugliest fabric in the world. My mother picked it out because it was on sale, CHEAP, and made me use it. The outfit turned out cute but because of the fabric, I wouldn’t wear it. I didn’t win anything in the contest. I guess the judges didn’t like it either.

I started sewing again about 2 years ago because I wanted some cute cotton skirts to wear during Spring, Summer and Fall. I live in Texas and it’s warm here for most of the year, so you need cotton but for some reason, they don’t sell cotton skirts in the stores. Now I just make my own.

I started making skirts and then decided I would just change the focus of my shop. I created my own pattern for my aprons. It’s a very simple apron but also very functional and I use really cute fabrics to make them unique.

3. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you.

I have my Bachelor’s degree in nursing and someday plan to return to school for my Masters or maybe PHD. I’m married with an 11 year old brainiac son, a sweet dog and a mean cat. I’m currently a stay at home mom and trying to enjoy it while I can.

4. What inspires your creations?

Whatever material I’m working with at the time inspires me. Whether it be fabric, beads, ribbon or whatever. I love picking and choosing fabrics. There are always so many that I want to buy, I wish I could buy them all!

5. How did you get involved with Etsy?

A friend who had been buying on etsy (and selling her handmade bags on ebay), suggested etsy to me. She actually suggested it to me several times before I ever checked it out to see what it was all about. It didn’t take me long to open up a shop. Unfortunately, my friend stopped making and selling her bags. They were really cute too.

6. What is your favorite item in your shop (currently for sale or previously sold)? Why is it your favorite?

This is my favorite apron that I’ve made.

I love the colors in it and I love the name of the fabric – Bite Me.

7. Which one song describes your life the best? Why?

Time of your life by Green Day.

Because I hope that my son will look back on his life and remember all the fun we had together as a family and will remember his mom and dad as being happy people who loved him and loved being with him. I hope he has the time of his life.

8. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?

My blog is http://HandmadeWhimzy.blogspot.com

I mostly write about crafting. Sometimes I post recipes with pics of things I’ve cooked – usually sweets. I’m on a homecooked sweets kick right now. I don’t want my family eating preserved sweets full of partially hydrogenated poison, so I’ve been making my own about once per week. Things like cookies and cupcakes, etc. but all from scratch. It’s given me a chance to use recipes I’ve had for a while but never used.

My facebook fan page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tyler-TX/Handmade-Whimzy/107926789250020

and my personal page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000426780198