Spotlight On: Debbie Di Justo of Crafty Moose

First up in our Spotlight On series is Debbie DiJusto from Crafty Moose.    Dee/Willow Glass has known Debbie for decades back from when they were following the same craft show circuit in the beautiful lower Hudson Valley region of New York.   It was pure serendipity that connected them again on Etsy (at Studio Synergy, we're big on serendipity :)  and hope you enjoy a glimpse into her creative life!

How did you get your start and when did you first become interested in your craft?

When I was young, my Mom used to take me to our local hobby store & let me pick out something to make.  She bought me my first beaded flower making kit and I have made french beaded flowers off and on (now mostly on) since then. I have tried most crafts and still enjoy most as well as painting.

Describe your work process to us.

Seed beads are strung on wire, each individual flower component is formed, and then put together to make flowers and arrangements.

What do you like best about what you do?

I never tire of seeing beads turned into works of art. I have many more ideas than there are hours in a day. I wake up early thinking of my next project.

What do you find most challenging about your work?

Forcing myself to step away from the beads occasionally so I don't "wear out" my hands! This also helps keep my ideas fresh.  I also find it very hard to promote myself or toot my own horn. It is hard for me to feel comfortable calling myself an artist.

What inspires you? How are your inspirations expressed in your work?

Mother Nature inspires me most. I try to present my flowers in fun and sometimes unusual ways.  I also love to travel & am always picking up new ideas.

What are your 3 favorite things in your studio?

My huge supply of beads, my Bose CD/Radio, and many pieces of art that were made by other artists.

Tell us 3 things that no one would ever guess about you.

A beaded creation by Debbie Di Justo

I'm basically a shy person.  I have a hard time parting with anything I make. Yes, this is going to sound like a contradiction to my last comment, but...I love thinking about all the places where my art is being enjoyed.

Where can we see your work?
 
My Etsy Shop - http://craftymoose.etsy.com
My Website -  http://craftymoose.weebly.com is just up and still a work in progress!

Debbie Di Justo AKA Crafty Moose

Debbie's Workspace

Meet the Artisans of SSNE: Dee Tilotta of Willow Glass

How did you get your start and when did you first become interested in your craft?
I've been involved in some kind of art or craft all of my adult life. I taught ceramics full-time for about 10 years and then switched over to jewelry design. Fast forward another 10 years and then in 2002 my dearest friend passed away pretty suddenly (we were friends for 30+ years) and I knew I had to shake up my life. I saw an introduction to glass fusing class at the local arts center and that was 10 years ago and I've never looked back. Funny how my re-inventions of myself go in 10 year cycles!

My latest accomplishment was creating the group Studio Synergy NE along with Colleen McWatters and you're reading our blog post now!

Describe your work process to us.
I play with glass and heat. After a design concept comes to me, I cut the glass to size from large sheets. I then stack the pieces and fire them in kilns to about 1500 degrees or so. Depending on the technique I'm using, most pieces require additional firings depending on coldworking needed, if I'm slumping into a mold, or draping over a mold, etc. You can usually guess at how a piece will come out, but I'll tell you, opening up those kilns is like a kid on Christmas morning! After almost 10 years of glasswork, I still have more than my share of uh-oh's, but the process is amazing and enthralling.

What do you like best about what you do?
I am the best boss I've ever had, however, the benefits are slim to none, ha! Seriously, I love having a studio that is very conducive to working long hours, I love that I can work at any time of the day or night, I love that I can turn the music on as loud as I want, I love that my furry girls can come down to the studio any time because I'm always ready for snack time and nose kisses, I adore that my grandkids love being down here with me and creating. My current studio faces out onto the mountains of upstate New York and Vermont and the deer and bunnies and birds and creatures are beautiful. I am grateful to be fortunate enough to do what I do.

What do you find most challenging about your work?
I am a pitiful photographer.   The necessity of paperwork is not my friend. Sometimes the isolation of where I live is .... well .... isolating.   Picking and choosing which shows to do each season is a real crap shoot.   I have a very hard time putting myself out there and prefer dogs to most people.

What inspires you? How are your inspirations expressed in your work?
Everything inspires me which is why I work a gazillion hours a month! I find inspiration from music, from nature, from relationships, from animals. I do not find inspiration from paperwork or taking photos or from a ringing telephone. I love playing with different colors and having real wow moments when I open kilns.

What are your 3 favorite things in your studio?
Oooh, this is a tough one, I have more than 3, but today we'll go with my CD player, my mini refrigerator so I always have fresh brewed cold tea (o.k., and chocolate), and a sign that says This Is Where I Should Be. After that of course is my lovely stash of glass, tools, and a framed copy of a newspaper article featuring me (yeah, I hit the big time).

Tell us 3 things that no one would ever guess about you.
I've had as many as nine (yes, 9!) dogs at one time and would do it again in a heartbeat.   I miss them.
I am a pretty damned great cook.
I am actually an introvert and way too sensitive.
One of the things on my life's bucket list is to be shot out of a cannon (I kid you not, I have fantasized about it). If Adam Levine could be with me in that cannon, life would be complete.
Oh and while I'm living that fantasy, in WillowWorld I am either Ann Wilson from Heart or Pat Benatar.   

Where can we see your work?
Website:  http://willowglass.etsy.com is my primary online presence, I'm working on my own site, but geez louise, it's hard!
You can find me in the upstate NY and southern VT region most week-ends from May through December.
You can find my work at Artcentric on River Street in downtown Troy, NY and also during the holidays at The Shop at the Arts Center also on River Street.
You can find me on Facebook under Willow Glass.
 email:   willowglass13@yahoo.com and studiosynergyne@gmail.com

Studio Shot

Willow Glass market banner

Willow Glass

Meet the Artisans of SSNE: Kari Kurtz of Little Gems by Kari

How did you get your start and when did you first become interested in your craft?
My best friend learned to make earrings and showed me.  I started devouring everything I could to learn new techniques from then on out- I got bit by the bug!  Thanks, Jocelyn!

Describe your work process to us.
I try to set aside time to sit down and surround myself with one type of project (I do a handful) and then set a goal of I'd like to make 5 new necklaces tonight or 10 bookmarks. I flip on a fun TV show/movie and get working!

What do you like best about what you do?
 It's almost meditative to me. I can just focus on making something and let everything else slip away.

What do you find most challenging about your work?
I'm a messy artist- I often misplace a bag of this or that and spend 30 minutes trying to find it.

What inspires you?   How are your inspirations expressed in your work?
 I see a bead or an outfit and the wheels start turning in my mind.  Sometimes it is a finished piece I see and I try to "improve" it by using the concept but adding length and a button, etc.  Then I sketch it out to find the pieces later or tear apart my work area trying to find what I need.

What are your 3 favorite things in your studio?
An angel statue my friend gave me, a lamp that was my great grandmother's, and a set of craftsman mini pliers (my dad bought them for me and they fit perfect in my hands!)

Tell us 3 things that no one would ever guess about you.
 I LOVE metal (hubby and I first saw each other at a Megadeth show).
I used to raise and show rabbits.
I have a horrible fear of birds (but I do like the Hitchcock Movie).

Where can we see your work?  
Locally my pieces are sold at yellow boutique in Saratoga, 491 Broadway http://shopyellowboutique.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Little-Gems-by-Kari/150896334966864
Website: http://LittleGemsbyKari.etsy.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/littlegemskari
Blog: http://littlegemsbykari.blogspot.com/

Little Gems by Kari booth set-up

Kari Kurtz of Little Gems by Kari

Kari's latest creation!

Meet the Artisans of SSNE: Jessica Ross of Livvy Lous Boutique

How did you get your start and when did you first become interested in your craft? 

When my first daughter was about 6 months old she started wearing hair bows and I was hooked!  I started making them shortly after and have expanded to  hair accessories,  boys bow ties, neck ties, children's clothing, and fabric pennant banners.
 

Describe your work process to us. 
Every night after the girls go to bed I set up my "studio" in my living room and work on orders and my show stock (items I bring to craft fairs).  I usually have "bow nights" and "sewing nights" so that I can accomplish more in the long run by only setting up my work area for one thing or the other.  If it is a sewing night I try and have my fabric ironed and cut during the day when I can find the time between play dates, naps, and meal times with my kids.  On bow nights I bring all of my invoices to the dining room and gather all of the ribbon I will be using and load it onto a carrier that my husband made for me.  I bring it all to the living room and cut, tie, sew, and hot glue my ribbons to make some pretty fabulous bows.

What do you like best about what you do?
I love that I am able to be home with my girls and am able to work from home most of the time.  I do attend a lot of craft shows and markets that keep me away from home on some weekend days, but for the most part all of my work is done at home.

What do you find most challenging about your work? 
Paperwork!  The business end of owning a handmade business is definitely the most tedious part.  I love crafting and the instant gratification of making something beautiful to admire, but that's probably only about half of the work that goes into the business.  Listing items on Etsy, posting to my Facebook page, taking and editing photos, booking and working craft shows, ordering and shopping for supplies, answering emails, packing and shipping orders, and keeping keeping all of my customers happy are just some of the other things that I have to do  while 2 little girls are demanding my attention as well.

What inspires you?   How are your inspirations expressed in your work? 
My daughters are absolutely my inspiration.  My oldest daughter gives me so much confidence because she really thinks I can make anything.  I also just really love vibrant colors.  I enjoy mixing and matching colors and fabrics to come up with my signature creations.  I believe over these last 3 years I have developed a recognizable style and that inspires me to keep going.

What are your 3 favorite things in your studio or workspace?
1) My sewing machine!!  It's actually my Mom's machine that I bought for her as a present and then borrowed for a project.  I became so obsessed with sewing that she has been so gracious to let me hang on to it just a little while longer.
2) My glue gun.  What problem can't be solved with a glue gun?
3)  My favorite pair of scissors!   There's just a cheap pair, but I like them so much better than the pricier ones.

Tell us 3 things that no one would ever guess about you.
1)  I have been a vegetarian for 17 years
2)  If you've never met or seen me before, and all you know of me is my work, I would say that it would surprise people that I have a lot of tattoos.
3)I actually LOVE my minivan.  It was a hard sell for me at first, but I really needed something bigger than my tiny car for the amount of craft shows I do.  Once I got it I was HOOKED!


Where can we see your work? 
My Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/livvylousboutique
My Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/LivvyLousBoutique
My Events : https://www.facebook.com/LivvyLousBoutique/events
My Group: https://www.facebook.com/StudioSynergyNE

Jessica Ross of Livvy Lous Boutique

A banner and romper from Livvy Lous Boutique

Checklist for Artisan Markets and Shows

With art festival and craft show season in full swing, we're going to go over a checklist of things you should be packing to make life easier while at market. We'll break these down into categories; I always find it easier packing my van with this list and I'm less likely to have a slap-on-the-forehead moment while setting up at a show!

The Nuts & Bolts

Tent, Tent Sides & Tent Weights - tent sides and weights are necessary because you never know when a thunderstorm might crop up or winds might threaten to take your tent down.

Lattice or Merchandise Walls - depending on your merchandise, use the square footage in your space, typically 100 square feet, to your best selling advantage.    Unused space won't add to your day's tally but don't make things so crowded that people will be overwhelmed!

Bungee Cords & Zip Ties - good for when you roll up your tent sides for the day and also for attaching your weights to your tent legs.

Inside Your Space

Tables - I use adjustable height tables because the closer you can get your work into someone's line of vision, the better! I sell fused and dichroic glass jewelry and keeping it at or close to eye level works well.

Table Coverings - your set-up reflects on your business, so make sure your table coverings are professional looking, hang to the floor and keep your extra inventory hidden underneath.

Display Racks - free standing or table top. I find that the displays I'm most drawn to are layered in height and have dimension. You literally have only a few seconds to capture someone's interest before they move on to the next tent.

Chairs - one or two in case you get the chance to sit down for a few moments during your busy day! For the most part, hopefully you'll be on your feet greeting customers and making those sales!

Area Rug - if your display could benefit from it, consider getting one of those outdoor/indoor area rugs. Depending on the pattern, it could give your space either a warm, inviting feel or a vibrant, contemporary one.

Business Stuff

these are all self-explanatory and it seems like I'm always adding to this part of my list!

Business Cards

Post Cards and Brochures

Credit Card Machine & Slips if you don't have a Smart phone

Receipt Books

Cashbox

Vendor Apron

Scissors & Tape

Boxes/Bags/Totes/Tissue Paper/ Bubblewrap

Lint Roller (to keep your table coverings looking spiffy)

Windex and eco-friendly wipes (for your mirrors and any glass displays)

A small dish of wrapped candies are a nice touch.

Stuff to Make Your Life Easier and More Comfortable

Cooler with Water Bottles and Healthy Snacks (you'll feel so much better if you're not snacking on what's usually available at events)

Sunscreen & Wet Face Cloths in reclosable plastic bags (I've been taking these for years and frequently just press against my face and the back of my neck during Summer shows - it really does freshen me up!)

Extra pairs of socks (if you've ever set up in mud or floodwaters, you'll know what I mean!)

and most importantly,

YOUR WORK!!!

So there you have Willow Glass' checklist for shows! I hope you find it helpful and if you have other items you think should be added to my list, please leave a comment below, and maybe you'll see your contribution on a future list!

written by Dee Tilotta/Willow Glass 6/2012