I’d like to share my latest Indie Fixx project with you…it’s called the Indie Fixx Galleria and will debut next Monday, May 5th. The Indie Fixx Galleria is a juried gallery of independenet crafters, designers, artists and the indie boutiques that carry their work. A galleria is an enclosed courtland of shops, otherwise know as a mall, and I like to think of the Indie Fixx Galleria as an ‘Indie Mall’. It will be another way for you to browse and shop indie.

If you are a designer or indie boutique and want to learn more about how to be involved with the Galleria, just send me an email.

Otherwise stay tuned for the Galleria next Monday! I’ve got some great stuff lined up for you.

This week we are going to take a peek into the practices behind Letcetera, a company which creates cards printed with soy inks on paper made of mineral powder that is 100% degradable in nature and needs absolutely no trees or water for its production. The envelopes they use are also made from 30% post-consumer waste recycled paper. I am totally inspired! Treeless paper? Incredible.

Here’s what Nerissa from Letcetera had to say:

1. What fueled your decision to create eco-friendly products?

As a graphic designer, I feel obligated to be more conscious and aware of my carbon footprint. Our industry has a direct effect on the environment with our use of paper and the energy needed to produce it, as well as the waste it creates when disposed of.

2. What does ‘green’ mean to you?

It means being more conscious of how my everyday actions affect the environment I live in and the earth as a whole.

3. How did you get started creating your product/line?

About four years ago, I was looking for cool, bold, graphic wrapping paper for my holiday gifts, I didn’t find anything I liked, so I decided to make my own. Designing my own paper allowed me to customize each design for the recipient and that’s when I thought of making graphic patterns out of the first letter of their names. I then made note cards with the patterns and had them printed on tree-free paper with soy inks.

4. How do you reuse materials in your business?

In our studio we try to conserve paper usage and keep printing to a minimum. We reuse scrap print-outs to print and sketch on. Also we are interested in developing our own products that address ‘green’ issues, like Letcetera and another product idea called Recast, which reuses materials from old technology (computers/wires, etc) to create new usable products in a different form.

5. How is your studio eco-conscious?

Whenever possible, for our print jobs, we try to spec papers that are 100% post consumer waste and/or are produced with renewable energy.

6. Who or what are your eco heroes/inspirations?

I’m inspired by the work of Samuel Mockbee, an architect who co-founded Rural Studio that teaches and builds sustainable housing from cast-off materials.

7. Do you have a favorite eco tip for your readers?

Try to conserve as much as you can, whether it’s keeping printing to a minimum or shutting down your computer at the end of day.

8. Where would you like to be with your business this time next year?

We would like to extend the line into more eco-friendly products, and explore other new production methods and technologies.

You can buy Letcetera’s gorgeous cards in their etsy shop. They are available in every letter and seven milestone birthday numbers.

Thank you Nerissa, for sharing with us!

GREEN CHALLENGE: This week, use a coffee canister as a pot for spring planting! (Hint: cans can be painted in countless ways to make them unique and pleasant to the eye! Ever thought of using chalkboard spray paint…?)

Here some great resources for organic seeds:

You Grow Girl
Seeds of Change
Your Local Farmers’ Market

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.

I’m going to be moving my office to a different room in the house….it’s a good bit smaller, so as a consolation I told myself that I could get some nifty new stuff to decorate it with. I’m thinking that I’d like to include one of these stitched houses from Stephanie DosReis. Made from vintage and scrap fabric, they come complete with extra special cute details like stitched windows and doors, button doorknobs, appliqué and one even has a little green finch perched on the roof.

I also like the watercolor and stitched original paintings by Stephanie. Wendy in her new coat and Horse Man in his way cool jeans and vest are my faves.

I will definitely keep you updated on my new office and any decor items that I purchase and when it’s all done I will share a pic!

Here are some lovely new goodies in the Indie Fixx Shop that I’d like to share with you.

Art is the antidote for what ails you! A clever magnet set made from original Wolfie and the Sneak artwork will arrive in a prescription bottle with the label ‘Art is the Antidote‘. What a great gift for an art lover or your BFF who is under the weather!

Exclusive prints from Wolfie and the Sneak. Very limited series—ONLY 5 have been printed of each print! The print on the left is called Invisible Connectivity and you can read more about artist Renee Garner’s inspiration here. The other print is called Enriching Growth and is my personal favorite.

Are you a clever kitty? Then you need one of these Clever Kitty totes from Cathy Peng. Available with pink, red or blue glasses.

Good Kitty and Bad Kitty stationery sets from Cathy Peng. Get one of each to fit your mood.

Sweet and charming Flower Rings from Intrinsic Garden, just perfect for spring.

Letterpress notecards from Messenger Bird Press. Choose from the Dress Form notecard on the left or the Woodland Creatures Set on the right.

Howdy indie-lovers! Welcome to post #1 of the new Indie is the New Green column on the Indie Fixx Guest Blog! Let me introduce myself—my name is Jessica Gonacha and I am an artist in Atlanta, Georgia. I originally hail from Boulder, Colorado, which is where my eco-conscious roots were planted. I am an obsessive recycler and as a kid I carried a copy of the book 50 Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth with me wherever I went. So yes, I am thrilled to be able to share my passion for the environment and all things eco-friendly with you.

This column is going to be a mix of information, including interviews with artists who are setting examples in the world of eco-friendly art and design, resources on how to find more environmentally-friendly materials and supplies, features on green products and the people who make them, and fun DIY projects that you can feel good about creating! There will also be a weekly GREEN CHALLENGE at the end of every post: your task will be to take on the challenge, photograph it and post your photo to the Indie is the New Green Flickr group. I will share some your submissions the following week on the blog! Sounds fun, huh? The challenge details can be found at the end of this post.

So this week, I am pleased to introduce you to an artist from my hometown (shout-out to Boulder!), creating her eco-friendly goods under the name of ReLove Projects. Anne Pendergrast was kind enough to answer some questions for us and give us a little peek into her studio! Here’s what Anne had to say:

1. What fueled your decision to create eco-friendly products?

I was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, which is a VERY eco-friendly town. Growing up here it was just normal and part of the everyday to recycle, reuse, and be environmentally conscious. That was my foundation. The other part of it was following my passions and creativity. I’ve always had a passion for environmentalism and it just happened naturally that my creativity collided with it.

2. What does ‘green’ mean to you?

‘Green’ to me means doing everything possible to make less of a negative environmental impact.

3. How did you get started creating your product/line?

I love going to thrift stores, finding something unique, and altering it to make it even more unique. I made myself a little purse from a funky 60’s mumu, and got so many compliments that I started making them for other people too. The cards just sort of developed over time. I had a lot of smaller scraps left over from making the bags. I couldn’t throw them away and they kept piling up! I had to find a creative use for them before they took over my studio. I started off by sewing little hearts onto paper, and it grew from there. Now, I have even smaller scraps left over from the cards….

4. How do you reuse materials in your business?

Everything I make is 98% reused (the thread, glue, and some closures are not). My cards are made from paperboard packaging, recycled fabric, and paper grocery bags. All the bags and clothes are made from recycled fabric, and my business cards are made from paperboard and recycled paper. I create my patterns by reusing folders, I take notes on the back of envelopes. I make it a little game to reuse and recycle as much as possible!

5. How is your studio eco-conscious?

Every piece of furniture in my studio was bought at a thrift store or given to me, the light bulbs are energy efficient, and nearly everything that is discarded in my studio is recycled or reused for some other purpose.

6. Can you share your eco heroes/inspirations and your art/design inspirations?

eco heroes/inspirations
Elephant Journal is a regular inspiration for environmental, political, and spiritual issues. Doing yoga, teaching art to children (at Clementine Studios), and finding recycle symbols in unexpected places help keep me consciously active.

art/design inspirations
Fashion magazines, blogs, Etsy, people watching, dreams, thrift stores, necessity, desire…

7. Do you have a favorite eco tip for your readers?

If everybody just made a conscious decision to do everything they could to be more eco-friendly, it would make a HUGE impact. Doing something once a day, like changing light bulbs to the more energy efficient or starting a paper recycling box at your office. Every little thing we do makes a positive change, and the more little changes we ALL makes a bigger impact.

8. Do you have a favorite go-to eco blog or website?

I just heard about Green As a Thistle. It’s pretty great! Beyond that, the WWW is such a huge world with so many resources. I like to type key words like “environmental ideas” into a search engine and follow interesting links.

9. What are some creative ways that you source materials for your work?

In Boulder, I celebrate a thing called “Hippie Christmas” which is basically dumpster diving, but without all the nasty garbage. Boulder is a college town and every spring when classes end, students put everything they don’t want out on the curb. There’s a little bit of everything to be found—clothes, kitchen appliances, sports gear, furniture. Me and my friends make it an event and exchange “gifts” if we find something someone else can use.

10. Where would you like to be with your business this time next year?

By next year, I’d like ReLove Projects less of something I do in my spare time and more of a part-time or full-time endeavor. Right now, I only sell my work on my Etsy site, so I’d like to venture beyond that into stores, craft fairs, and other venues.

12. Anything else you would like us to know about you and your work?

I take custom orders and can take a special piece of clothing and turn into something great!

GREEN CHALLENGE #1: go on a walk and pick up 5 pieces of litter, draw what you picked up (and recycle it afterwards if possible!), then post your photos to the Indie is the New Green Flickr group. I’ll pick some of your drawings to share and post them next week! One person will be chosen to win a reusable coffee cup sleeve made by Textile Fetish and available for sale in the Indie Fixx Shop!

I’m going green and greener today on Indie Fixx…that’s green, as in the color green—and greener, as in eco-green. I’ve compiled a list of goodies that is bound to make you green with envy (yes, today is also going to filled with clichés). Some of my finds are eco-indie products, because I know you all want to be more responsible shoppers. Other finds are just great green lovelies in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Finally, some of my finds are both…green and green-er! Which ones are which????

1. Whale Preppy Print Tee from Charlie and Sarah

2. Shadow Pods Moleskine Journal from Gosh Darn Knit

3. Clover Card from Hello World

4. Owl Gocco Print from Matteart

5. Envy Earrings from August Lately

6. Canvas Tote from Peace Love and Canvas

7. Swirly Green Bobbies from Sprout Studio

8. Fuchsia Foliage Pendant from The Intuitive Garden

9. Coin Purses from Bird vs. Bird

10. Reconstructed Skirt from Secret Lentil

11. Four Cork Tote Bag from Cork and Cotton

12. Recycle or these animals are going to eat your pants T-Shirt from Andy Eats Only Candy

13. Vintage XO Typewriter Earrings from Webby Sue’s

14. Cork necklaces from Uncorked

15. Flirty Apron from Callie Micks

16. Ctrl, Alt, Delete Keyboard Pin Set from Acorn Studios

I love hedgehogs and apparently so does everyone else. I’m not sure when this trend of hedgehog goods first developed, but it is here now and I for one will never tire of it. How about you?

1. Card holder from Sea Breeze

2. Sterling Silver hedgehog charm from LuxeDeluxe

3. Jackalop and Friends print from Creative Thursday

4. Hedgehog plush from Little Odd Forest

5. Hedgehog Friend print from The Black Apple

6. Hedgehog Piano print from boygirlparty.com

7. Hedgehog zippered pouch from purlyshells

8. Hedgehog magnet from Dear Sukie

9. Hedgehog pouch from LouLouBell

10. Hedgehog puppet from Burtonwood

11. Pete the Hedgehog notecard from Snowy652

12. Hedgehogs are for Lovers notecard from Mew Paper Arts

The Poppytalk Handmade Market for March, ‘Green Pop’, is up and once again there’s some really amazing shops participating. Poppytalk Handmade is a monthly online street market that is put together by Jan of Poppytalk to promote independent designers. The Indie Fixx Shop is one of the featured shops, which I am so proud of and happy about.

Some of my fave new discoveries from this month’s Market are: Orange Willow, Yellow Owl Workshop and Susan Schwake.

Just a quick little note to let you know about the sale going on over at Paper Cloud. They, along with a bunch of the rest of us, are anxiously awaiting spring and have decided to have a sale to bring a little spring to the end of winter. So, bring a little spring into your world and visit Paper Cloud.

[ All flower designs are 20% off until the end of March. ]

This week’s Indie Artist Interview is with Tracy from Happy Owl Glassworks. Offering lovely fused glass jewelry, accessories and homewares since 2003, Happy Owl has been one of my faves right from the beginning. I even own a Happy Owl Glasswork’s pendant and I love it. Happy Owl is probably best known for their badge menagerie—a collection of totem animals in your choice of either a badge or pendant. I defy you to pick just one as your favorite. I know I can’t!

Read more about Tracy and her work in my interview with her below.

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

Happy Owl Glassworks. I fuse glass and illustrate; mostly housewares and accessories featuring animals galore!

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

When we moved to LA in 2003, I started my website. It was slow at first, but I was further motivated when I participated in the “Bazaar Bizarre West” in Los Angeles in December (my first retail show experience!). Before LA we lived in Bozeman, MT and I was part of a co-op gallery where I made more sculptural, non-functional pieces. This was fun at the time, but I soon realized that the gallery scene wasn’t my main interest. I decided to experiment with smaller pieces for the masses when an old contact requested some work that they could sell in their shop. Once the website took off, I was laid off from my office job soon thereafter. I never looked back.

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

Usually slow-going at this point in time! I draw from inspirations such as animals and nature—a subject that is constantly teasing me to get outside more. I’m usually feeling most creative while I’m doing “other” things, like showering, driving, walking. Once I get an idea I’ll sketch it out and take it to the next step of creating the piece.

4. What’s been your biggest accomplishment so far?

The ability to juggle being a new parent as well as managing the business. When I was pregnant I was apprehensive about my abilities to do both. But somehow we’ve managed without daycare or help, and I’m so happy to be there for every one of her milestones. Accomplishing both has been a smoother ride than I expected and it’s all about taking it slowly, having small goals.

5. Tell us one funny/goofy/silly thing about yourself.

I consider myself a culinary experiment—I didn’t eat any vegetables, besides carrots, until I was 21. I was one of those “picky eaters” (to the extreme!) as a child/adolescent. I now try new foods with every chance I get: jellyfish, raw beef, exotic vegetables… a far cry from my childhood days of junk food and meat slathered in ketchup!

(Continued)

I love the scratchy sketchiness quality to the art of Groundwork’s Danna Ray. Textured and ethereal, her prints seem to be suitable for this time of winter when everything is dry, withered and windblown but you can begin to see signs of spring.

It’s easy to believe that Danna grow up in a log cabin. I know it must have been in the woods.

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.

I love Renee from Wolfie and the Sneak! She is super talented, super nice, super cool and I just love her work. I’m so happy that she agreed to be interviewed for this week’s Indie Artist Fixx.

Renee is one of those artists who never fail to captivate their audience. Her work, often botanically inspired, is like looking at a new world, but one that is totally familiar at the same time. I am so inspired by her work that I often find myself looking at things in a completely new way, which I think is just such a wonderful thing when art can make you do that.

One of my favorite treasures is my Wolfie and the Sneak coloring book. My goal is to color all the prints and hang them behind my desk. I have three completed so far. I just cannot wait to see what Renee will come up with next!

Visit her website, her etsy shop, her blog and her flickr page to read and see more of her work.

In the meantime, read more about Renee and her work in my interview with her below!

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

I’m Wolfie and the Sneak (part of/most of?) and I draw, paint, and generally depict natural objects and abstract patterns based on organic objects.

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

Once I finished High School I went right into art school for college. At that point I realized the opportunities to be filled were few and far between, so I started making my own opportunities by curating group shows and seeking juried shows. Occasionally I’d sell a piece, but not very often. I finished school and managed a Caribou Coffee for a year, and that was enough to motivate me to know I needed to do something for myself. There were some other stumbles and misguided steps on the path, but I started about a year and a half ago.

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

Hard. (haha) In the past it’s been a lot easier, finding inspiration suddenly and often in hardships and broken hearts, so now I’m learning a whole new way to tap into my creativity. I haven’t fully figured it out, but I know I just have to keep practicing, studying and learning. It’s a lot of sitting down daily and just doing rather than planning and thinking.

4. If you could meet 5 famous or infamous people (dead or alive) who would they be?

Steve Albini
Steve Martin
Bill Murray
Willie Nelson
William Shatner

All funny funny men. I think I would like to flirt with all of them, too.

(Continued)

Here are some black & white lovelies for you!

1. gogovivi library satchel in bold black and white

2. Little Helper print from ashleyg

3. Lilies and Remains earrings from Opulent Oddities

4. Roots Reflection tee from Puckish and available at buyolympia.com

5. Black & White Butterfly necklace from Neile

6. sotosofties Petey the Penquin plush

7. Leaves of glass Excess necklace

8. Flower & Lace necklace from Mia Beads

9. Vintage Typewriter Key Cufflinks from Keys and Memories

10. Heart tie from Cyberoptix

11. Porcelain bowl from Kristen Swanson

12. Stitch Pixie’s floral vinyl wristlet

13. Plans and Diagram’s print from Tricia McKellar

14. Daisy photograph from Slyvia C

I’ve been waiting all week long to share this artist with you for TGIF: Thank God for Illustration Friday. I can’t remember how I first discovered Dan-ah Kim, but luckily I rediscovered her when browsing through my illustration bookmarks. I’ve been drooling over her visually vibrant work all week long. I’ve been trying to be a more frugal girl lately, but I have a burning desire to buy some of Dan-ah Kim’s work…only which one(s) would I buy???

Here are the prints that I’ve got my eye on. Visit her site or etsy shop to choose your favorite.

I recently featured porridge papers in my post Letterpress Lovin‘, but I just fell in love with them and needed to share again, because sometimes you just need to get your point across in a way that you can only do with letterpress.

Janice of JaniceJ’s Illustrations sent me a tip this week about her new Esty shop and I’m glad she did. Inspired by architecture, her travels and stories her illustrations are bright, cheery and visually interesting.

I just had to share for this week’s TGIF: Thank God for Illustration Friday. Here’s some delicious eye candy for you.

1 Dollar Store and the Water Village.

Hotel City and Pyramid House

The Good Harvest Supermarket and Stone & Co.

Are you an art lover or want to get a gift for an art lover? Well, let me tell you about the new Art Print of the Month Club offered at the Indie Fixx Shop! Choose from 3, 6 or 12 month subscriptions. Each month, you or your giftee will receive a top secret art print from one of our super talented select artists.

The selections will be kept a secret, so you or your gift recipient will be pleasantly surprised with each delivery. What a wonderful thing to look forward to each month, another wonderful print to add to your walls. Each print will be shipped in tissue paper and tied up with ribbon and can include a gift message.

There are a limited number of subscriptions available each month and you can read more about it here.

It’s time for some letterpress love here at Indie Fixx! If you are like me you have a love affair with letterpress and don’t really need any other loves, but you still have one, two or ten loves to whom you need to send a secret Valentine.

Here are my favorite Valentine’s Day letterpress cards.

Naughty Little Valentine letterpress card from a. favorite design

Love Nest Letterpress card from three red hens

Duo of Letterpress Love Folded Notecards from INK&WIT

Love Fixx Letterpress card from Bellis Studios

LOVE Letterpress and Screenprint card from amyb13

True Love Letterpress card from Sarah Ridgley

I Simply Love You Letterpress card from DeLuce Designs and Heartstrings Be Mine from Egg Press

I love You letterpress card from Paper Stories

Definition of Love letterpress card from porridge papers

Be Mine Letterpress card from Sycamore Street Press and The Parts of My Heart Letterpress card from Armato Design

The theme for this week’s TGIF: Thank God for Illustration Friday is hair…some of the featured prints may depict the dreaded “bad hair day” or just some really interesting styles. You be the judge.

Serpentine Braids by beesknees industries.

Bad Hair Day print from the Dreamy Giraffe. Corinne from Unconventional Ida.

Riding the Wind print from Badbird’s. Unruly Hair print from Emma Klingbeil.

The Precarious UniWig print from Marmee Craft. Temptation print from aussiepatches.

Winter Apples print from Carambatack Design. The Green Dress print from redheather.