by guest contributor Fina Tejada

Picking out a name for your indie business is important decision to make. It takes a lot more time than you’d think, there is so much to consider. I think Snowberry and Lime nails it though. You are not sure if you want to eat it or play in it, until you visit her Etsy shop. Owner, Veronika von Allmen, stocks her store with dreamy hand spun yarns and other craft goodies, and although she is based in Germany she is ready to ship all over the world.

Read more in my interview with her.

Tell us about your business.

Snowberry and Lime started on the idea of creating handbags made from recycled sail, as I grew up on a boat and this was the most readily available material… it soon moved on to being about colourful bags and snugly wrist warmers. Everything I do is marked by a great obsession with detail. My great love for knitting eventually led me to selling my own hand-spun yarns last winter and they quickly became my most popular items. Combining high quality materials with beautiful colors and textures is my main motive in creating yarns. They often feature interesting themes as I specialize not only in luxury Merino and silk yarns but also in quirky art yarns.

What did you do before you started your business?

I started while I was still lounging around at the university and now moved on to a part-time job with an international charity. My spare time is pretty much devoted to my little venture…

Other than Etsy where else can we find Snowberry and Lime?

My yarns are being sold only on Etsy, this allows me to offer prices which are below retail - I am basically sharing the savings from not going retail with my customers.
Some of my bags are being sold through the German based website Dawanda, this gives me the chance to get in touch with German customers who might have never found me on Etsy. Language barriers can be a huge problem for online shoppers and I try my best to at least offer my items in the languages I speak.

What do you consider is the best way you’ve attracted customers?

Complimentary Chippendale postcards.

Where do you see your business in the next few years?

Where it is right now—on your screen! I would like to start my own website pretty soon though, ideally Snowberry and Lime will keep growing and who knows how far it will go!

How do you stay motivated?

Well, my boyfriend always tells me that when I get bored from spinning I can always come to the gym with him—that always keeps me motivated! Motivation really never has been a problem for me, there are so many different parts to having a little business that whenever I don’t particularly feel like doing one thing, I can just do something else. These little task include far more than creating, it is also about taking good pictures, listing items for sale or looking for more great supplies.

About the contributor: Fina Tejada owns Miss Fruitfly, an indie lifestyle company featuring artwork and home accessories. She is also a blogger who loves to cook, is a closeted reality show junkie and supports independent designers. She will be posting on the Indie Fixx Guest Blog featuring international indie crafters & bloggers to find out what motivates them creatively, how they started their businesses and how they approach the U.S. market. Fina will be posting periodically on Thursdays.

My ‘mood board’ for my new office space that is in the works. ***

I’ve got a fabulous new contest debuting today on Indie Fixx…it’s called the Spruce up your Place: Indie Home Decor Challenge. Spring is the season for that annual rite of renewal, otherwise known as ’spring cleaning’, and it’s also a time when I personally get re-inspired to spruce up my place. Of course when planning and dreaming, I’m thinking about all the cool indie home decor goodies I want to buy and the handmade home decor projects I want to do. I know you are all are the same and I want to hear about your plans and dreams, hence the Spruce up your Place: Indie Home Decor Challenge.

The deets:

To enter: Send me images from your home of your completed indie & diy home decor projects or images of your mood/inspiration board of projects you are planning or dreaming of (not all of us currently are in a place to redecorate, but still dream about it, right?) You can email me your images or upload them to the Spruce up your Place Flickr group. Please include the names and links to any indie goods that you are featuring in your images. By entering you agree to allow your photos to be used on Indie Fixx.

Don’t know what a mood board is? See examples at flickr HERE and HERE. Also, see my example above. Read what shops are represented in my mood board at the end of this post. ***

The Spruce up your Place: Indie Home Decor Challenge will run from May 6th - June 18th. That’s 6 weeks and should be plenty of time for you to get your act together to enter!

The Prize: The prize is totally fabulous and includes the following donated indie goods:

1. DecoyLab - Animal Alphabet poster (blue/pink) and Cuckoo clock (blue)

2. INK&WIT - Winner’s choice of print, either Pommebirds or Elephants

3. Circa Ceramics - $100 girt certificate for anything in the shop, including custom orders

4. Buyolympia.com - $50 gift certificate

5. Skinny laMinx - Apron & 3 tea towels, winner’s choice design

6. Berkley Illustration - Winner’s choice of (2) 8 x 10’s

One winner will be chosen at the Challenge end to win the prize.

***My Office Mood Board at the top of this post includes indie goods from the following.

Split pod vase from Whitney Smith Pottery
Cross-stitch pieces from Chez Sucre Chez
Felt Birds from Lauren Alane
Fabric House from Stephanie DosReis
Print from Dan-Ah Kim
Print from INK&WIT
Print from Yellena
Prints from The Black Apple
Fabric from Repro Depot
Fabric from Purl SOHO
Fabric from Cia’s Palette

I don’t know about you, but I am an allergy sufferer….year round and it’s a lot worse in the spring, so I always carry little packs of tissues with me wherever I go. I’d like to have a stylish fabric tissue cozy though, so I don’t feel so much like my Grandmom pulling out my little pack of tissues, and it’s just my luck that I discovered a great tissue cozy tutorial.

From Nicole Vaughn of Craftapalooza, who is also a contributor over at Whip Up.

Directions:

1. First up, I’m all about templates for patterns, especially small crafty projects that I’ll make more than once. I love adhering patterns to strawboard, makes it so much easier to place your pattern onto the fabric, trace with your chalk and then cut out.So, for my version of the tissue holder, I’ve cut a template that’s 6 inches x 7 inches. Why inches you Aussies ask? My cutting matt and quilt ruler work inches so it’s just easier to go with inches.

2. Pick your outer fabric, trace and cut out slightly larger than the template. I also like to use a midweight fabric, just a personal preference. I also like to make more than one at a time, it’s quicker.

Next up, I usually line my holders with a 100% linen in a cream colour. Don’t cut your lining just yet, grab yourself some double-sided fusible interfacing, place your outer fabric pieces onto this and iron them in place. Let the fabric cool and then place these outer pieces onto your inner lining fabric. Iron away. Make sure you iron the edges well.

3. Read more!

A gallery of tissue holders Nicole has created, you can see more at flickr.

The Purl Bee is the shop blog for Purl Soho, an online and brick & mortar smörgåsbord of fabric, notions, fiber, patterns and other crafty stuff. If you haven’t visited the shop before, beware you will not be able to resist buying something…I know I love their selection!

To tempt you even more, each week a new tutorial or project is shared on The Purl Bee using products from the shop. Today for Tutorial Tuesday, I’d like to share my one of my favorite tutorials from those featured on The Purl Bee —it’s for a Cute Japanese Coin Purse. The pattern and the frame and pattern are for sale at Purl Soho.

Materials List:

1. One Inazuma Antique Gold Purse Frame #772 (This includes a paper pattern and the paper string you will need.)
2. 1/4 yard of lining fabric. Pictured purse is made with Shot Cotton in Lemon
3. 1/4 yard of exterior fabric. Pictured purse is made with Jen’s Garden in Black but it might be a little easier to use a lighter weight fabric.
4. One heavy paper bag
5. Craft Glue
6. A Hera Marker
7. A thin knitting needle or awl
8. A pair of pliers

These materials will make one 3.5″ X 3.5″ purse. You will have a lot of fabric left over. You could probably six or seven purses out of two quarter yards of fabric.

Read more of the instructions here!

Also, make sure to join the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group and share coin purse crafts or any pics from any other completed Tutorial Tuesday project.

Today for Tutorial Tuesday I thought I’d share a recycled material tutorial with you today in honor of Earth Day.

From artist Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut, this tutorial utilizes those magazines that seem to breed like rabbits around my house. I try to get what magazines I can from the Library, but unfortunately my library system does not carry Bust, Venus, Craft:, Adorn (well, I won’t be getting any new issues since they folded) and the others that I like to read, so I do end up with a fair amount of mags that need to be recycled. With all the potential bowl fodder I have in my recycling basket, I can’t wait to try this easy peesy sounding tutorial since I do have a couple places in the house I could use a lightweight colorful bowl to collect stuff in. All you magazine addicts out there should try it too.

The materials sure are simple enough:

- a magazine
- glue gun

Read more here…

You can read Patricia’s blog for more wonderful paper tutorials as well as check out her flickr page.

Also, be sure to join the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group and share your own magazine bowl results or any pics from your completed Tutorial Tuesday projects.

Once again, I gotta say this week’s Indie Artist Fixx is better late than never. I was busy working on some other stuff and almost forgot to post today’s interview with the wonderful collage artist, Claudine Hellmuth. Oops!!! I’m back on track now, so here it is.

Thanks to Claudine for allowing me to interview her and I do hope you guys enjoy reading it!

1. What’s the name of your business and what do create and sell?

I don’t have a separate name for my business, so what I create all falls under my name. My work goes into many categories but the main focuses of my business are: creating custom artworks for clients using their photos, I also create illustrations for companies and I have written 2 books with a 3rd due out this fall. You can visit my website to learn more.

2. When did you get started with your business and why did you decide to open your own indie biz?

I went to art school and graduated with my BFA in fine arts in 1997 and then after that to make a living I got a job in web and print design. I never really liked working for someone else all day so I knew I would want to be in my own business at some point. It didn’t take too long for that to happen!

I officially got started full-time in my own business in 2001 when I got layed off from my job in web design. Fortunately, I had started working in the evenings and on weekends slowly building my business in 1998 so when I got layed off I was just about ready to go full time anyway. It didn’t make it any less scary but at least I had my business ready to go!

3. What’s the creative process like for you?

Now that I am in my 7th year of working full time for myself, I am finally being a bit more gentle about the ebb and flow of my creative process. Some months I am able to get a lot of work done and others end up being taken over by more paperwork and businessey tasks. Slowly, I am coming to accept this and try to not force what is not happening.

4. Do you have any pearls of wisdom to share with newbie indie bizinesses?

The best advice I can give is to start slow. Try to do what you can while still working at your day job. Don’t feel that it has to be all or nothing in the beginning. You can work at your regular job and build your business on the side. This will give you a feeling of security as you figure out just how you want your business to work.

(Continued)

OMG, this is the cutest Tutorial Tuesday ever…or should I call it Tutowlrial Tuesday? Whatever we call it, I’m sure you’ll agree that this owl tutorial from MOONSTITCHES is just so adorable and that you’ll want to snap it up and hug it and squeeze it and make a million of little owls. I know I do….I want to make my own adorable stuffed owl army!

Alex from MOONSTICHES put together this really well done tutorial, which was inspired from a pattern she found in a book (info on the front page of the tutorial). Since Alex does not share the pattern from the book, you can buy the book (although it’s in Japanese) or come up with your own pattern and use Alex’s tutorial as an inspiration for your own owl. For more inspiration, visit the Owly Love Flickr Pool.

Also, be sure to join the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group and share your owls or any pics from your completed Tutorial Tuesday projects.

Click here to learn how to learn how to make your own cute fabric owl.

In keeping with the wedding theme today, I thought I’d share this really clever and cute wedding invitation for Tutorial Tuesday. It’s not really a step-by-step tutorial, but more inspirational fodder to get your own diy wedding creativity flowing. Put together by Rachel from Red Prairie Press and her man Phil, it’s quirky and fun and I’m sure everyone who receives one will really feel special being invited to share in the creative couple’s big day.

The deets:

Rachel screenprinted the “album art” and the Mad-Lib style RSVP by hand with artwork based on designs she developed with friend Ben Whitla. Phil made the the DVD featuring drawings of himself, Rachel and their cat Mr. Sammy. Click over here to see what’s on the DVD and to read more.

I always get really excited when I’m about to run out of hand cream. I know that sounds like I’m being sarcastic, but it really truly is something I look forward to, because it means I get to make MORE. That’s right folks, I make my own eco-friendly hand-cream (more like body cream– I use it for everything!) and my skin will accept no other. It has become spoiled and snooty about what it likes to have soaking into it, and I love dreaming up new concoctions when the time comes.

Here is a very versatile recipe for a rich, emollient, decadent cream that will last you a good long while. And I promise you’ll be excited when yours runs out, too!

Ingredients:

6 oz. raw shea butter
1/2 oz. jojoba oil
1/2 oz. sweet almond oil
1/2 oz. grapeseed oil
1/2 oz. apricot kernel oil
1/2 oz. lanolin (melted)
1/2 oz. aloe vera gel
1/2 oz. glycerin
1/4 oz. Vitamin E oil
5-10 drops favorite essential oil (some of my favorites are geranium, rose, clove, clary sage, cinnamon, and lemongrass.)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl (I like glass or stainless steel). Mush together with your hands to get the lumps out of the shea butter. (Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer, but doing it by hand is the eco-friendlier way, because it saves energy!) Adjust accordingly– if you like a thicker cream, more lanolin and less oil will do the trick; a thinner cream can be made by adding more oil or aloe vera juice)

P.S. This recipe is very fudgeable—what I usually do (since I’m the type that doesn’t really measure things and just eyeball it!) is just toss everything in a big glass bowl and mush it up with my hands and if it needs adjusting I’ll add a little oil here, a little lanolin there…!

Have fun!

WHERE TO BUY:

*My personal favorite: Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary in Boulder, CO
*Goldthread Apothecary in Florence, MA
*Botanica Medica in the UK
*Florapathics
*Mountain Rose Herbs
*The Essential Oil Company

If you want more information about essential oils, herbs, oils, aromatherapy, etc, here are a couple of great resources:
*Herbaldiary.org
*Aroma Web
*The Herbal Body Book by Jeanne Rose

GREEN CHALLENGE: change 1 (or more!) light bulb in your house or studio to a compact fluorescent bulb!

About Jessica:
Jessica is an artist from Atlanta, Georgia who is endlessly creating. Her work includes paintings, drawings, illustrations, and paper goods and is vibrant, colorful, and charming. Her work can be found on her site, in her Etsy shop and in the Indie Fixx Shop. You can also read more about Jessica and her work on her blog.

This will be new for those of you don’t read design*sponge (if you don’t read it, which rock have you been living under?) and if you do read it, you may have already seen this week’s Tutorial Tuesday project.

From Derek and Lauren of The Curiosity Shoppe and via design*sponge.

What you need to make your own Knitted French Press Cozy:

Size 5 knitting needles
Yarn (we used Debbie Bliss’ Cashmerino Aran in color #300502)
Scissors
Yarn darning needle

To cover an 8 cup Bodum french press you’ll need to knit a rectangle that measures approximately 12″ x 6″.

1. Using size 5 needles, cast on 60 stitches.
2. Knit in k2, p2 rib for 4 rows.
3. Knit in stockinette stitch for 36 more rows
4. Read more here…

Remember, don’t forget to join the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group and share your French Press (or any other household object) Cozy pics for a chance to win a copy of Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts: Lacy Crochet published by Chronicle Books. One winner will be chosen from the pool at the contest end on March 12th. Read about how to add an image to the flickr group here. Entrants can submit images from any of the Indie Fixx Tutorial Tuesday projects.

Hallelujah, finally some patterns for those of us without advanced degrees in Greek, Calculus, & Rocket Science! Easy to understand & just so simple & direct, the patterns from Betsy Ross Patterns are just the thing you’ve been looking for to stick your big toe in the proverbial sewing pond. I am no great one for following directions and I certainly can be described as ’sewing challenged’ and I totally love these patterns. Perfect for first-time sewers and fairly new sewers and still fun and customizable enough for more advanced stitchers.

That’s the good news….the even better news is that I am now carrying select Betsy Ross Patterns in the Indie Fixx Shop. There are three different bag styles (tote, shoulder, and clutch) and two skirt (a-line and circle) patterns available. All the available patterns are ‘1 out of 3′ stars on the difficulty level scale. Easy-peesey!

I love embroidery. It’s been my new favorite craft for about a year now. I find that it’s really easy to carry around and pick up while I’m waiting at the dentist’s office or while I’m babysitting sleeping nieces and nephews. I thought I would share some embroidery tips with you from a real pro for this week’s Tutorial Tuesday.

One of the things I like about embroidery is learning a new stitch…I think I have all of 3 or 4 in my bag of embroidery tricks now. That’s all gonna change now that I have re-discovered the Stitch School tutorials by Janet of Primrose Designs. Covering the basics of embroidery to more obscure stitches, Janet shares her clear & concise directions and fabulous pictures, which make even the more complicated stuff seem easy-peasy.

Janet also sells a wonderful collection of both vintage items and new items crafted from vintage materials at Primrose Designs. You’ll find everything from pillows, aprons, tea towels, baby gifts, tissue cozies, sachets and even vintage linens and trims for your own projects.

I chose to feature the Lazy Daisy stitch from Janet’s Stitch School. It’s a stitch I’ve been wanting to learn.

1. Start by bringing your threaded needle to the front. Then take the needle to the back as close as possible to where the thread emerges. Bring the needle to the front at the tip of the stitch.

2. Loop the thread in a counter-clockwise direction under the tip of the needle.

3. Read more here…

Remember, don’t forget to join the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group and add your Tutorial Tuesday project images to the pool for a chance to win a copy of Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts: Lacy Crochet published by Chronicle Books. One winner will be chosen from the pool at the contest end on March 12th. Read about how to add an image to the flickr group here.

Here’s a great tutorial for Tutorial Tuesday for making a Moleskine Cover from Michelle at Keyka Lou. Featured on Indie Fixx before, Keyka Lou offers clutches, wallets, checkbook covers, passport pouches and other accessories in the most gorgeous fabrics. I drool over them every time I visit the shop.

Plus, don’t forget to join the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group and make sure to add your Tutorial Tuesday project images to the pool for a chance to win a copy of Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts: Lacy Crochet published by Chronicle Books. One winner will be chosen from the pool and the contest ends March 12th. Read about how to add an image to the flickr group here.

1) Cut pieces (grain of fabric should run parallel to the short end of your pattern)

1 main body in outer fabric
1 main body in lining fabric
1 interfacing for main body (optional but gives the cover more substance - sew-in or fusible
1 flap in outer fabric
1 flap in lining fabric
1 flap in interfacing
Velcro strip about 1.5″ long

2) Center one Velcro piece on the outside of the flap lining about 1/2″ from the top. Sew in place.

3) Place flap pieces with the face sides together and pin. Leave an opening to turn. Sew around flap.

4) Place main body pieces with the face sides together and pin. Leave an opening to turn. Sew around main body.

5) Trim corners and clip curves of flap.

Continued…

Die cut hearts from Nicole Lombardo. Check out all her very cool die cuts and tags for your homemade Valentine’s cards and other paper crafting projects.

Last week I shared a Pointy Kitty Pattern for Tutorial Tuesday with you, so this week I thought I would feature a mouse instead…actually the Stuffed Mouse Pattern from Sewing Stars. Teresa from Sewing Stars creates and sells the cutest ever stuffed creatures and patterns. In fact, her adorable Fruit Head Gang Plush have been featured on Indie Fixx before and are one of my favorites things ever!

The full pattern & directions can be found at Sewing Stars. Enjoy!

Join the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group and share photos of your projects based on the tutorials from Tutorial Tuesday .

Plus, post your image from any Tutorial Tuesday project to the Tutorial Tuesday flickr group before March 12th for your chance to win the following book: Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts: Lacy Crochet published by Chronicle Books. One winner will be chosen from the pool. Read about how to add an image to the flickr group here.

Crafty contest alert for all you sewers out there! Chronicle Books, CRAFT Magazine and Amy Butler are bringing you a great contest. For a two-month period, crafters can submit pictures of their own Amy Butler inspired bags online to the flickr group called ‘Amy Butler Sew Inspiring Contest‘. At the end of the two-month period Amy Butler will pick a top winner and five runners up among the entries.

The grand prize winner will receive a Janome Memory Craft 6600P Sewing Machine, Amy Butler Fabric, Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern, Amy Butler’s In Stitches, and the Sew-It Kit. The five runner-ups will win a copy of Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern, Amy Butler’s In Stitches, and the Sew-It Kit.

Read about the contest rules here. The contest ends February 29th and good luck!

I’m adding a new feature based on feedback I’ve already received from the latest Reader Survey. A lot of you responded that you’d like to see tutorials, how-to’s, free patterns, diy projects and the like on Indie Fixx, so I thought to myself, “Hmm, maybe I should add some how-to’s to the blog.” After thinking of how to fit tutorials into the overall theme, I came up with a great concept. I will feature tutorials, how-to’s and other fun diy stuff from the indie crafters, artists and designers that I feature on the blog. I will share these with you periodically on what will be called Tutorial Tuesday. Please, let me know what you think of the new feature!

Today, I’d like to share a totally adorable free pointy kitty pattern with you from Hilary Lang of Wee Wonderfuls. Hilary offers sewn dolls & toys, patterns, put-together books, and other fun stuff for sale. She is also a contributor to craft books and magazines and has a wonderful blog full of her latest eye-candy inspirational projects.

The pointy kitty is an original sewn plush pattern by Hilary and is just one of a half dozen free patterns and projects Hilary shares. You can see a gallery of completed kitties here. Make one yourself and add it to the pool!

I’ve got a great little giveaway for you today. Chronicle Books, one of my favorite book publishers, has donated a couple of great new titles for me to use in giveaways. Yay! The titles are from Chronicle Book’s Crafts line, which includes such great titles as Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco, Subversive Cross Stitch: 33 Designs for Your Surly Side by Julie Jackson and Sublime Stitching: Hundreds of Hip Embroidery Patterns and How-To by Jenny Hart & Alexandra Grablewski.

The titles I will be giving away are brand new ones and the first one is called Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts! Amigurumi! It’s wonderful book full of both eye candy & detailed and easy to understand directions and patterns….makes me want to pull out the ole crochet hook.

There are two ways to win a copy. 1) You can share a picture of a completed craft project that you have recently finished. Projects can include any type of arts and craft and aren’t limited to just crochet. You do need to submit an image though, which you can post a link to in the comments or send me via email

2) If you’re not so crafty or just haven’t had time lately to devote to craft, you can submit a top ten list of your favorite indie pixx via email instead of submitting a craft project. Your top ten indie list can include links to indie shops, etsy shops, blogs, online magazines, flickr pages or really anything as long as it’s indie and/or promotes independent art, craft, design, music, shopping etc. If I like your list, I may decide to use it for Reader Fixx Thursday, even if you don’t win a copy of the book.

I will pick one entrant, whether it’s a crafty submission or a top ten indie list submission to win a copy of Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts! Amigurumi! This contest will end December 24th, so get cracking and enter your submission.

Today’s Indie Artist Fixx interview with a mover and shaker in the indie world is with Julie Jackson of Subversive Cross Stitch. I’ve long been a fan of Subversives Cross Stitch and even have my own sampler. I’m so glad I had a chance to sit down, albeit virtually, with Julie and see what makes her tick.

She’s one neato keen chick with a totally wicked sense of humor and you can find out more about her below in her interview.

1. What’s the name of your business and what do you create and sell?

Subversive Cross Stitch. Irreverent cross stitch kits and supplies.

2. How did you get started with your craft?

It occurred to me when I was stuck at a dead-end job with a hellish boss - it started as art therapy.

3. How did you get started with your business?

I put a few things online to share with friends, then the web found me and it took off all on its own.

4. What else do you do besides Subversive Cross Stitch? Hobbies, other arts & crafts you do, other businesses etc.

I’ve been a freelance writer for years and I have recently written articles and interviews for magazines including Craft, JPG and LAB. I blog in a few different places, I’m mad for Flickr, and I’m generally all about the web 24/7. My latest project is that we’re having our house completely remodeled, so that has wiped out any free time.

(Continued)

I’m now carrying Subversive Cross Stitch patterns in the Indie Fixx Shop. Be subversive in a totally socially acceptable way and embroidery your subversiveness into art! A modern day take on the embroidered samplers of the past, this is cross stitch for girls (and guys) with a little attitude…this ain’t yo momma’s cross stitch.

Each basic kit contains: pattern, instructions, cross stitch fabric & pre-bundled DMC embroidery thread. Empower you innermost diva with some snarky embroidery. Perfect for gifting to your snarky friends!

Choose from Happy F**king Holidays, Do Not F**K With Me (my personal favorite and hangs in my office), Thanks for Sharing, Beeyatch & Candy Ass.