The Sampler - Contributors: December/January 2004/2005

75+ Item Contributions - December

Bigger Krissy

biggerKrissy.com's Krissy Harris is a Santa Monica, California - based artist who spent years as a journalist and web executive. Neither career, however, gave her the opportunity to explore or express her creativity on such a significant level. The biggerCritters are not only a reflection of her particular aesthetic, but also a vehicle through which she can relay her political and social views. The biggerCritter Philosphy is about having the strength of character, humor and confidence to embrace and express one's individuality. And have fun doing it! Because in Krissy's biggerWorld, personality and uniqueness are valued above all. And character is not measured by lunch box sales.

www.biggerkrissy.com

Fatty & Humper Designs

WHO IS MR. PICKLES?
He's one cool cucumber!
Intelligent.
Irresistible.
Pickle Globetrotter.
Check out the adventures of Mr. Pickles and his pals at:

www.mrpicklesroom.com

FeTopia
FeTopia

FeTO is a husband and wife team from Cincinnati, Ohio. Todd is the brains, Rachel is...well, Rachel sits in their living room thinking up new hats and costumes for fetuses to wear. Todd brings Rachel back to reality when she begins drawing up plans for the fetus-themed amusement park. Someday...someday...

www.fetopia.net

Glamscience

Glamscience began when Daria Penta decided that she'd rather glue sparkles to stuff than go back to grad school ever again.

Daria handcrafts her glitter goods in her Seattle studio, using only the finest vine-ripened glitter & combining it with recycled cardstock to make hip stationery or with colorful felt to make swanky bracelets. Glamscience also offers sparkly beaded knitting accessories for the glitter-minded knitter. See the entire line of Glamscience handmade glitter goods at www.glamscience.com!

www.glamscience.com

Handcrafted Design Shop

Handcrafted Design Shop brings you unique, handcrafted apparel, accessories, and home decor pieces that evoke feelings of places visited and loved.

Our Paris Collection features antique-inspired products with an old-world charm. Our Los Angeles Collection features hipster-inspired products with a casual elegance. Our Tokyo Collection features asian-inspired products with a zen flair. Our London Collection features products that are quirky, offbeat, and always unique.

Travel with us and be inspired.

www.hdesignshop.com

Heart Tattoo

www.hearttattoo.net

i like seamonsters

ilikeseamonsters is the newest coolest brand. Started in 2003 by tinahb, ilikeseamonsters has a rad line of jewelry, art and clothes designed to start conversations and make your life complete. This year's line includes gumball machine ninja necklaces, fishing lure necklaces and election inspired shirts that say, "We are so doomed."
:::: You will have an army of clones, it will be so charming. :::::

www.ilikeseamonsters.com

Judierock
www.judierock.com

Maize Hutton

Maize Hutton grew up in the middle of Montana and wanted to be a go go dancer when she grew up. She loved to wear her white go go boots and practiced "shakin it" every chance she could. Each Saturday morning she'd watch American Bandstand and dream of dancing on the show with all the beautiful people in California. Maize started sewing in the fourth grade when she created her first pair of white bellbottom pants with turquoise balled fringe and she's been making stuff ever since. She's a self taught artist currently creating jewelry from silver which has been recycled from film. Maize's life ambition is to discover the best antifrizz potion for her naturally curly hair. p.s. She also created a trend called Mommy Tags!

www.maizehutton.com

Missy Blue

www.missyblue.com

oneinchbuttons.com

www.oneinchbuttons.com

Shelflife

Ed Mazzucco is the founder of Shelflife Records and plays in a band called the Disappointment. He's also a really nice and funny guy, and, apparently, quite a storyteller!

www.shelflife.com

Smashing Mirrors

SmashingMirrors is an online boutique and inspiration site! Read designer profiles and shop for the items they create!

www.smashingmirrors.com

Sublime Stitching

Since 2001, Sublime Stitching® has banished bunnies and teddy bears from craft design. Unable to find cool needlework patterns, artist Jenny Hart founded a company to offer updated and hip patterns aimed at the next generation of crafters. With easy and fun-to-follow instructions for total beginners, her designs have helped fuel the DIY revolution and given veteran stitchers something new to stitch about. Hart's designs and works in embroidery have been published and exhibited worldwide. Chronicle Books (San Francisco) published her first book and kit, STITCH-IT KIT to rave reviews and months of backorders.

www.sublimestitching.com
www.jennyhart.net

Whammy! Buttons

www.retrobugs.com/buttons

Wonderland-Q

www.wonderlandq.com

50+ Item Contributions - December

77 Industries

www.77industries.com

bella you

bella you is from the mind of Heather Partch, a 24 year old mom and wife who loves to think up fun things to make! She decided to open her own little online shop so that she could share her creations with others. Everything at bella you is handcrafted by Heather, herself, and made with great care and attention to detail. Things that she makes range from fun postcards and notecards to baby blankets to totes and clutches.

www.bellayou.net

Chic Cosas

www.chiccosas.com

Copacetique

copacetic is a retro adjective meaning "excellent, great, etc." --- it's also a giggly girl named janice outta seattle, washington, who does her best to live up to that definition with her retro-inspired hand-crafted accessories and gifts.

to see more stuff that she's made, please visit copacetique, your copacetic boutique for handmade cuteness from an array of adorable artists! plus, you can peruse a wide selection of the keenest vintage fashions for boys and girls, and even retro housewares for your space-age bachelorette pad.

while you're there, be sure to visit copacetic zine for indiepop swooning from janice and her friends with reviews, articles, blogs, and more! and plenty of pictures of kittycats.

www.copacetique.com

Crafty Ass Chick

Kelley Freeland is a mild-mannered legal assistant by day, but when the clock strikes five she becomes......crafty ass chick!

Small town Arkansas had no idea that behind those innocent freckles was a creative genius: a pioneer of the DIY movement at the tender age of nine. After honing her skills for over a decade, Kelley brought her handiwork to the world wide web. Creator of crafts, lover of quality, crafty ass chick is proud to say that everything she sells is made with her very own paws.

www.craftyasschick.com

Extra Credit Crafts

Website pending, please contact via email for more information: extracredit@hotmail.com

Fancy Pants Creations
www.fancypantscreations.com

Fashion Compassion

Fashion Compassion offers a mass variety of handmade items ranging from unique jewelry to themed purses to yummy handmade soaps. I also have a handful of wonderful artists featured on my site who offer their super duper handcrafted wares.

www.fashioncompassion.com

Lekkner
Lekkner

Because there are so many t-shirts in the world, Melissa cuts them up and makes new things of them. Clothing, bags, scarves, pillows, it's all fair game. Melissa says, "I cut up t-shirts. It's what I do."

www.lekkner.com

Marina's Hat Emporium

www.marinashatemporium.com

Midnight Firefly

Midnight Firefly is a one girl show, run by a chick in Massachusetts that can't help but make things! Her jewelry is created from sterling silver, semiprecious stones, and other unique items and her background of graphic design and fine art comes through in all of her pieces. Most items are one of a kind or limited edition, which means, when you see something you like, you better snatch it up quick! With necklaces, earrings, and bracelets that range in style from elegant and sparkly, to funky and chunky, there's a little bit of something for everyone! Enjoy free priority shipping on all orders over $100, and free giftwrap on all orders until December 25th at MidnightFirefly.com!

www.midnightfirefly.com

Midway Crafts

Midway crafts is all about things that can make you feel happy and fuzzy with an image or memory. Stationed in Ontario, Canada, it's the combined crafting exploits of a boyfriend girlfriend duo of Craig and Rose. We like pirates, getting letters and packages in the mail, and watch far too many movies.

www.livejournal.com/users/piratecore

Mignonette

Mignonette is what happens when a California girl leaves Paris and moves to Brooklyn. All items are handmade with quality materials, many recycled, and 10% of every purchase goes to benefit NYC charities. Tired of watching sad French movies with waifish heroines dressed in couture, Kpoene' started crafting clothing for real-world gamines. These are clothes to wear when walking along East River Drive, not the Seine. Though you could walk there too, if you wanted. Kpoene' likes emails, gifts, and the letters 'K' and 'S'.

www.shootoutthestars.com

My Paper Crane

My Paper Crane is in the business of creating an army of soft plushy love. When Heidi is not spinning up crazy yarn on her spinning wheel, you can find her sewing and bringing to life plush food -- like toast and cupcakes. She is obsessed with big sad eyeballs and food that you can hug and squeeze.

www.mypapercrane.com

Prairieland Herbs

Donna and Maggie are a mother-daughter combo that grows herbs on their 2 acre farm in Central Iowa. They concoct a wide variety of delicious herbal body treats such as body balms, bath teas, scrubs, soaks, milk baths, lip balms, and much more! Some of their specialty items include natural baby products, a line of all-natural haircare (including their famous shampoo bars), naturally colored cheek and lip glosses, canine shampoos, and their own farm-fresh hydrosols.

www.prairielandherbs.com

Pumpkin Lane Designs

www.pumpkinlane.com

ReadyMade Magazine

www.readymademag.com

Scraps of Paper

As a writer I was in search of the perfect journal. I never had much luck. In 2002 I took a bookbinding class and loved it. I started making a few blank books using handmade and fresh white papers. They were lovely, but still missing something.

I had read about altered books and had an idea--old books as new books.

I now scour garage and library sales in search of old, sometimes tattered books that are visually interesting and rebind them with blank pages. Features like ribbons, pockets, elastic cords and latches are also added.

I unfortunately have a day job to pay the bills and all that good stuff. When I'm not hiding behind the walls of my cube I'm in the craft room buried under an avalanche of paper scraps. One day the craft room will be clean, maybe.

www.scrapsofpaper.net

Sewing Stars

Sewing Stars is me, Teresa. In my one room studio the sewing machine's humming brings to life all sorts of creations from cute to sometimes strange. Each creation has been made with loving care, and is waiting for a good home. A variety of items are available from stuffed creatures, handbags, to magnet sets. Please visit my website to see all my crazy creations!

www.sewingstars.com

Starbright Designs

Starbright Designs is a one-girl operation and D.I.Y. in the truest sense of the term. All Starbright Designs pieces are one of kind and are inspired by a love of natural beauty, retro glamour, International culture and pop art flare. Materials used are chosen for their unique qualities and include sterling silver, crystal, fire polished glass, semi-precious stones, gold vermeil, glass, pewter, vintage sewing notions, genuine Mexican Milagros and just about anything else she can find. Starbright Designs are meant to be treasured for a lifetime.

www.starbrightdesigns.net

Starting Small

www.missykulik.com

Stitchpixie

stitchpixie.com is run by a gal studying pharmacy in vancouver, bc (that's up in canada eh!). she's heavily inspired by pop art and retro memorabilia and creates everything from fishing tackle jewelry, to vegan-friendly street-sign handbags, to eggplant earrings and more! take 10% off your next purchase at stitchpixie.com with this voucher, and in addition, 10% of all store proceeds helps sponsor a child.

www.stitchpixie.com

udandi
udandi

udandi (pronounced you dandy) is the creative outlet for a University of Dayton grad named Andi, who enjoys do-it-yourself projects from creating crystal embellished clothing to refinishing furniture to recycling trash into something useful. At udandi, you can not only find handcrafted novelties, but also craft supplies and DIY project ideas.

www.udandi.com

25+ Item Contributions - December

4-Square