Bangles, Baubles, and Other Needful Things: An Interview with Kris of Laughing Vixen Lounge

Hello, Dear Readers:

Today I have an interview with the sassy, sexy, and amazing Kris, owner of Laughing Vixen Lounge on etsy.  I have known Kris through etsy for several years and she is a fantastic fellow artisan, creative blogger, and person with a big heart for a lot of special charities in her life. She also hosts some of the most amazing Giveaways on her blog, most notably her annual Halloween one... which is going on right now!  Please read on to learn great things about Laughing Vixen Lounge and get an eyeful of some extra cool pop culture, retro, and horror themed accessories.....as LVL says...."Friends don't let friends accessorize badly!"

 

Gothic Compact Mirror - Vintage Women Pillbox

Laughing Vixen Lounge is such a cool name :)Tell us how you chose your shop name?

Early on I decided to use the retro Pinup Girls and Pulp Novel covers in my designs so that is where the Vixen comes from. I also wanted the name to sound like a place you could go and hangout. One idea was "Gang" but "Lounge" won out. Then Laughing was added to help make sure the name was not taken and to make it unique. It worked out quite well. I mean really, isn't there a Vixen inside every woman just waiting to shine?

 

Create your Own Zombie Bracelet

 Where does the inspiration for your creations come from?

The shop stems out of my love for all things Pop Culture. I love everything retro. You'll find Pinups, Pulp Novel covers and B movie posters. I also love horror so you will find a lot of darker designs too. Pretty much anything that sparks my interest and still fits within the vibe of the shop.

 

Purse Holder

What is you favorite style or theme to create around?

Oh, that's a hard one but I love Halloween designs. I also enjoy creating around the old Pulp Novel covers and B monster movie posters. They are so kitschy and fun. It's also interesting designing custom work for someone. Piecing all the little bits together. I've made a few new Mom and Grandma bracelets that were fun to do. Or even a design around someone's favorite book or movie.

 

Halloween Bracelet

What was the very first thing you created to sell?

The first 3 things I listed on Etsy were bracelets made with Dominos. They had Pinups on the front side and the dots on the back. I never thought they were quite perfected so they were short lived. I did sell one which is surprising as the photos looked so bad! Ha! Maybe I'll fine tune them one of these days as they were really cool.

 

Black Cat and Raven Necklace

What sort of new products would you like to add to your shop in the future?

Oh my! I have so much product sitting on the shelves just waiting to be listed. The delay is part I want everything to be just right quality wise and part there is never enough time. My big project for next year is to photograph and catalog all of my 1,000+ charms onto my shop's blog so I can start doing a lot more custom work. But you can look forward to more styles of my current Bracelets, Necklaces, Earrings, Compacts and Purse Hangers. Plus new Rings, Lockets, Purse Charms, Keychains and a new style of Bracelet.

 

Autumn Earrings

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I'm a huge movie lover so I spend a lot of time watching either in the theater or at home. I love to travel. I don't get to do near enough of it but I'm trying to change that. Next September I'm going with my sister and friend on an amazing month long road trip down Route 66!

 

Vintage Ladies Whimsical Retro Humor Pill Box 

What music do you listen when you creating?

I'll admit I'm usually watching movies or TV. My new giant TV is set up so I can view while creating and I have way too many steaming subscriptions. But when I do listen to music I love oldies from the 50's and 60's, classic Rock from the 70's and a variety of Rock/Pop from then 'till now. Some of my favorites from the last few decades are The Goo Goo Dolls, Alanis Morrissette, Matchbox 20 and The Lumineers. But a big all time favorite is Brian Setzer. I love his music!

 

Hep Cat Pendant

LVL sponsors a lot of charities and has participated in charities for animal rescue and support. Please tell us a little about these endeavors and what these charities mean to you.

One thing I wanted to use my shop for, in addition to supporting myself, was to help raise money for charities. Since it started Laughing Vixen Lounge raised $1,500+ for The Jeffrey Dean Morgan Birthday Project (which supported The Brittany Foundation for rescue dogs) (brittanyfoundationonline.org/) and Support Supernatural (who raise money for A Dog's Life Rescue) (supportsupernatural.com/)(adogsliferescue.org/). Then from November 2013 to October 2015 the shop raised $2,500 to sponsor 5 wildcats from WildCat Ridge (formally WildCat Haven) (wildcatridgesanctuary.org/index.html). Now a new fundraiser has started. $1 from each item sold goes to support The Joy Cinema. A vintage theater that has been in operation since 1939 here in Tigard, Oregon. The Joy Cinema is a great local business that provides a unique movie going experience. If you're a movie lover take a look at The Joy's story and the fundraiser details HERE. (laughingvixenlounge.blogspot.com/2015/10/laughing-vixen-lounge-fundraise...)

 

Retro Christmas Bracelet

LVL hosts Fabulous Giveaways every year, most notably the Halloween Giveaway. Tell us a little bit about these fun events and the movie marathons you intertwine with the participating shop features.

Halloween is my favorite time of year so I enjoy doing the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. This is our 4th year and it's always a big hit with people. The Movie Marathon is a great way for people to come together over a common love of movies. Even if spooky is not your favorite genre most people have at least one favorite. The Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt is a fun way to connect people to the participating shops. I, and all the shops, hope it adds a little extra fun to your season.

 

Halloween Witch Bracelet

Where can we find your fabulous creations?

Laughing Vixen Lounge is currently only sold on Etsy.
www.laughingvixenlounge.etsy.com

The main place to keep up on all things Laughing Vixen Lounge is
The Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog
www.laughingvixenlounge.blogspot.com
and the NEW Laughing Vixen Lounge Newsletter
eepurl.com/bCUISL

You can also follow on:
Pinterest
pinterest.com/laughingvixen/
Facebook
facebook.com/pages/Laughing-Vixen-Lounge/76845996340
Twitter
twitter.com/laughingvixen

 

Thanksgiving/ Autumn Bracelet

Thank you so much for sharing, Kris! 

Until next time, Dear Readers!  XOXO Cat



** All photos and designs in this post are property of and copyright of Laughing Vixen Lounge and are used with permission.

Eco-Friendly Greetings: An Interview with Kathleen Rossi of Goldfield Arts

Hello, dear readers! 

Today I have an interview with Kathleen Rossi, graphic designer, artist, and owner of Goldfield Arts.  Her eco-friendly greeting cards combine wonderful vintage imagery, artistic designs and beautiful, embellished details to create greetings that inspire and delight. Please read on to learn more about her shop :)

What inspires you to create your cards and art?

 Art is my favorite channel for self expression. Goldfield Arts is a creative fusion of correspondence and art that combines a love of the handwritten letter, and my background in the field of graphic design.

 What music do you listen to when you are creating?

Some favorite artists of mine are Andrew Bird, Leon Bridges, Zero 7, Spoon, Amy Winehouse, Washed Out, Blood Orange, and phosphorescent. I'm an eclectic listener and some days I might only want to listen to David Bowie, John Lennon, The Smiths, or mixes from a certain decade. I'm really glad I have a spotify subscription to keep my ears happy!

What is you favorite style or theme of card to create?

My favorite style right now are the vintage inspired, and creative word play cards like "I love your magic", and "when nothing goes right, go left".

 Describe the very first card you created to sell?

The first card I ever created was a little pink silk screened card with little Chinese lanterns in brown ink. I made it at home on my gocco printer. I received a nice online response from what I was sharing on flickr and on my personal blog, so I started a little online shop selling silkscreened papers and jewelry on my (first) website liquidskyarts.com

What sort of new products would you like to add to your shop in the future?

I would like to create a line of personalized invitations for weddings, and also help young designers learn the trade by teaching classes.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love going on adventures with my husband and our little cavalier King Charles spaniel. Sometimes we drive to see the Joshua trees in the desert or make our way up to the central coast of California.

Tell us how you chose your shop name?

My husband and I originally wanted to call our paper company: "YOU + ME". We quickly found out that name was already taken with one fell swoop of a google search. Then came the words "Gold Field", referring to a dreamlike field of wheat in my husbands hometown in Germany, where we took walks together as teenagers. (We added "Arts" at the end our name so that we could cover a broad spectrum of products, you never know we someday we might want to make purses!)

Where can we find your lovely greeting cards?

 Our cards are sold in various boutiques and bookstores, online at our website, and also through Etsy.

www.goldfieldarts.com/
www.etsy.com/shop/GoldfieldArts
www.facebook.com/GoldfieldArts
twitter.com/goldfieldarts
instagram.com/goldfield_arts/
www.pinterest.com/Goldfield_Arts/

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing your story!  Until next time, dear readers!  XOXO Cat


** All photos are the copyright of and property of Kathleen Rossi and Goldfield Arts.  They are used in this blog with her permission.

Making Each Day Sweet and Special: An Interview with Tuesday Freya of "Tuesdays & Fridays"

Hello, Dear Readers!  Today I have posted my interview with Tuesday Freya who owns the sweet and adorable shop "Tuesdays & Fridays on Etsy." Come and take a peek into her world where she makes every day a little special!

Unicorn - handpainted in white on brass ring

 

What inspires you to create your pieces?

My pieces are inspired by beautiful things and stories. This may sound odd to hear, but I "see" both our physical world and imagine fantastical realms, so I try to mix them up in my designs. I try to capture or mimic nature in most of my vintage/romantic pieces, like lockets and pendants. For book-related pieces, I add accents that remind of highlights in the stories to make them seem more "real".

Book locket necklace based on Sherlock Holmes  

 What are your favorite materials to work with?

Lace, canvas, paper, and/or paint! I mix and match materials in most of my designs, and so they are really unique to my shop. :)

Nature garden - crochet flower dangle earrings

 

 You have a lot of variety in the things you create. What is your favorite type of piece to create?

As a book lover before becoming an accessory designer, I love the book-related pieces most. If I don't know the requested book, I read it first, so I get to know other interesting stories. But I also like customizing pieces, like the camera flash drives and wedding locket sets. These are handmade and unique per order.

Beloved stories - a personalized book locket necklace

 

 Describe the very first piece you created to sell?

On maternity leave for our daughter, I made a set of pocket watch necklaces, accented with lace and charms. I posted them on facebook to show to my friends, and one by one the pieces were sold! I still kinda feel sentimental about those, because I usually choose items with special designs (see the VW necklace on my Etsy About page) for my personal collection. Then I thought to make new ones, sold them again, and so this shop was born. :)

Queen pocket watch

 What sort of new products would you like to add to your shop in the future?

Too many that I really need to sit down and prioritize what to focus on next. For now I'll be working on new locket sets and filling up the other sections of the shop, such as earrings and bracelets.

Dew drop - silver finish twig necklace with crystal 

 

  What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Top of my list would be reading, with a warm mug of coffee in hand. But with my usually hectic schedule, I prefer just spending time with family at home, eating out, or taking short walks.

Colorful roses on silver filigree bobby hairpins

Tell us how you chose your shop name?

It's cliche, but the shop name is based on my own name. I figured it's easy enough to remember; everyone everywhere knows the days of the week. My second choice of shop name is a Filipino term for handmade, but then it would always need an explanation for international promotions.

Trip to Paris - a miniature rotating globe necklace

Where can we find your creations?

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TuesdaysAndFridays
Facebok: www.facebook.com/Tuesdays.and.Fridays
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tuesdaysandfridays


Thank you Tuesday Freya for the interview!  Until next time, Dear Readers!  XOXO Cat

* All photos are the property of and copyright of Tuesday Freya of Tuesdays and Fridays and are used on the blog with her permission.

* Shop owners do NOT gift me items in consideration for an interview.  As always has been the case, these are fun interviews I choose to do with etsy sellers and etsy team mates for my own enjoyment, the enjoyment of readers, and to help promote etsy sellers and etsy team mates!  :)  XOXO Cat

GODDESS GIVEAWAY!

Hello Lovelies! It's time for a special Giveaway! Minou Bazaar and Deep Midnight Perfumes have teamed up for a Goddess Giveaway! Enter to win this gorgeous Lakshmi necklace designed and created by Meenoo Mishra (with gorgeous Swarovski crystals and opalite) and a bottle of my new matching Perfume  "Milky Ocean" ( with notes of Lotus, Freesia, Sea Grass, Ocean and more). Contest runs from the 20th- 26th. You can enter at the link below. We are also having a special sale in each of our shops  enter code LAKSHMI15 at either shop for a 15% discount through the length of the contest. Only one coupon or discount is good per order! Thank you all and good luck!  

 

Love, Cat

 Shop Minou Bazaar:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MinouBazaar

Shop Deep Midnight Perfumes:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/deepmidnightperfumes

 

 

Milky Ocean Perfume Oil by Deep Midnight Perfumes

 

 

Goddess Lakshmi Gold Lotus Necklace

 

 

CONTEST LINK:  

 

http://gvwy.io/a65veuy

What is Geeky, Fun, and Very Useful? An Interview with Maria of Adopt a Pencil

Hello to all my lovely readers!  I had the pleasure of getting know Maria from adopt a pencil.  When I think of pencils, I think of school times from my childhood.  I remember the smell of  new wooden pencils that were freshly sharpened ready to take on the new school year. If only I could have had the opportunity to have these fun and geeky  pencils in hand while tackling 5th period Algebra!  It's never to early to start planning for school supplies or just office gifts to make writing fun!
Please read on to see why pencils rock!

What inspires you in life?
My family is my inspiration. They are the ones that make me push myself and reach for my dreams.

How did designer pencils become your choice to create?  
I love pencils of all kinds!! And I am a huge book nerd! It was actually my husband's idea to print on pencils. His family owns a cigar business and they stamp their own logo. Fascinating by his idea, I started stamping on pencils as a hobby. I would make pencils for my children's schools with the students and teachers names on them or make some for my friends baby shower. It became a huge hit, and more and more people started to request pencils; eventually providing an extra little income.

 

What is your favorite phrase for putting on pencils?  
My absolute favorite phrase for putting on a pencil has to be "Intellectual Badass". It is my comeback for people who love to call me a nerd. :) I always tell them, "I'm not a nerd, I am an intellectual badass". I think it describes me perfectly.  :)

If you could be any fantasy character, you would you be?
If I could be any fantasy character, I would love to be Hermione Granger. I grew up with Harry Potter and always wished as a child that I could be part of this magical world. Hermione has always been my favorite character with her smart remarks and her great wits.

What do you envision for the future of your business?
I envision for my business to grow over the years. It already has become more than a hobby, I can only go up from here on. Every time I get a sale overseas, I am thrilled. It is an amazing feeling to know your product is enjoyed worldwide.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love to do crossfit in my spare time. It is another hobby of mine. Lately, it has been a bit difficult with a 3 month old baby, but my husband is a great supporter.:)

 

What music helps you get into the creative mode?

I always listen to Dido Radio on Pandora to get into my creative mode. The soothing music relaxes me and I travel to another world in my mind.

Where can we find your pencils?
You can find my pencils on:
www.etsy.com/shop/adoptapencil
www.facebook.com/adoptapencil
www.instagram.com/adopt_a_pencil

Thank you so much, Maria for introducing us to your fun shop! 

Until next time, dear readers.....Love, Cat


* All photographs are the property of and copyright of Adopt a Pencil and are used with the permission of the owner.

Worlds of Wonder and Whimsy: An interview with Rachel Kupper of Fable Link Jewelry

Hello Dear Readers:

It had been a while since I have had a chance to take some time and interview other unique and interesting indie artists and I have missed being able to do that, but finally today I have an interview for you with the fun and talented  jewelry designer, Rachel Kupper, owner of Fable Link Jewelry.  Read on to learn about her lovely and sweet jewelry creations that embody a world of wonder and whimsy.



Rachel Kupper, owner and artisan: Fable Link Jewelry

What inspired you to become a jewelry designer?

When I was a kid I always used to love making things with my hands. I would make beaded jewelry and sell it to all the neighborhood kids. I would have to say though, that my real love for creating jewelry was discovered when I took a metals class in high school. I was hooked. I liked how there was so many different techniques and ways to manipulate metal and that the possibilities to create beautiful pieces of jewelry was endless. I had found my medium and knew that designing and creating jewelry was what I was meant to do.



Sterling Dragon Pendant

How do you begin your design process and what are your favorite materials?

My design process begins with whatever happens to pop in my head. Whether it be from nature, folklore, antique objects or just some random thought. Once I think of a design I will sketch it down right away. From there I will take a sheet of sterling silver and coat the surface with a layer of white water color paint. Then, I will put a piece of carbon paper over the metal and draw my design on top of the paper. It will leave a nice clean image. I will then lightly scribe over the image, so that if it gets smudged when I am cutting it with my jeweler's saw I will still be able to see the outline of my design. All of my material is sterling silver including the chains I use for my necklaces and bracelets down to the solder. I can also work in gold upon request.



Sterling Fox Necklace
 

You have a lot of wonderful whimsical, dreamy, fantasy themes in your pieces. What is your favorite theme to create around?

 That's hard to say, because I like fantasy as well as dreamy and whimsical themes. I find that I try to combine them a lot of the time to make it my own, but I would have to say in general the over all theme that I try to convey would be more of a whimsical theme.

Sterling Crow and Key Necklace

 Describe the very first piece you created?

 The very first piece I created other then when I was in school, was a fairy necklace with filigree soldered into the wings. It is the same fairy design I have in my shop.



Sterling Fairy Necklace

What piece of jewelry remains your favorite?

I would have to say the barn owl necklace with the lantern. I absolutely love barn owls (hence the logo :)).



Sterling Barn Owl with Lantern

 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I have two small children, so I am usually running around the house saying things like, "don't eat that, that's not food!" "Quit biting me!" And "do you need help wiping your butt?" So, when I do have some time to myself and I am not working on my jewelry or thinking of poems to go with new pieces, I like to indulge in a hot bath and get lost in a good fiction novel, and spending time with my hubby.



Sterling Earrings

What handmade possession do you treasure the most?

The fairy necklace, because it is the first piece of jewelry I made that drove me to start designing and creating my own jewelry.


Where can we find your jewelry?

My website for sales is on etsy:
www.etsy.com/shop/FableLinkJewelry

Social Network sites:
www.facebook.com/fablelinkjewelry
www.pinterest.com/fablelink
www.Instagram.com/fablelinkjewelry

I have also started doing art shows in North Carolina and I have signed up to do an art show in downtown Durham which is September 19th and 20th called CenterFest Arts Festival.


Rachel, thank you so much for sharing all the information about your whimsical and lovely jewelry! :)

Until next time, dear readers.....Love, Cat


PHOTOS: Are the property of and copyright of Rachel Kupper and Fable Link Jewelry, and are used with her permission.

Fantastic Spring and Summer Giveaway with Laughing Vixen Lounge!

Spring is here and it's time for a big giveaway from Laughing Vixen
Lounge. 13 shops have come together to create one amazing Prize Pack
($300+) full of Jewelry, Perfume, Clothing, Vintage and much more! Our shops offer lots of
unique, handcrafted and custom designs.

The Fabulous Spring Giveaway is open worldwide. 1 winner will win the
Prize Pack. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below. Please visit the
Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog and the Main Giveaway Post HERE to see full prize list, participating shops and daily features during the giveaway. Follow with #lvlspringgiveaway.

Since Summer is right around the corner the giveaway theme is Vacation
Memories. Each of our participating shops, and many of our blog
sponsors, will be sharing some of their favorite vacation photos with
you.

Giveaway runs May 4th - 18th. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all giveaway details. See full details HERE.



a Rafflecopter giveaway