YBC Artist Feature - Dori Danner from Designs by DKD

It's time for another artist feature from Scott's Marketplace....

Dori Danner from Designs by DKD.

blue baby blanket

 What is the story behind your shop name? 

 I didn't want to limit myself to just one kind of "craft". 

Designs can be anything and DKD are my initials.

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

My mother taught me how to knit and crochet as a child. 

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success?

My biggest challenge is finding stores to sell my products. I really like the little mom and pop stores but there are not so many around anymore. I started to sell online with Etsy, then branched out to Facebook, Ebay and Scotts Marketplace. 

scrubby set of 3

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, etc.

I am married to my husband for 36 years and we have 2 children who are married and 4 grandchildren.

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb. We live in Hillsgrove, PA, which is northeast of Williamsport, PA. My parents had a cabin here and we came here as much as possible. We bought the property from my parents about 10 years ago and moved here about 6 years ago. We are situated in the Endless Mountains which are beautiful.

Jelly Fish Towel

Pick a favorite item from your shop, and why is it your favorite. I have sooo many favorite items, it is hard to pick just one. Right now, I guess it would be the Jelly Fish Cotton Towel. My daughter send me a picture of one, so I went to the blog it was on and found it is a towel for little children to use. My daughter is potty training her daughter and I thought that might be a fun way to dry her hands. I made a purple and pink jelly fish for her and sent it in the mail. She loves it!

flower baby sandals

What advise would you give a new artist just starting out? It's not easy, but stick with it, if that is your dream.

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet. Designsbydkd.com facebook.com/Designs-by-DKD etsy.com/shop/designsbydkd scottsmarketplace.com/store/designsbydkd

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Dori as much as I did...she has lots of wonderful handmade goodies, so hurry and click on any link above to see them.

Until next time,

Be blessed,

Debbi

YBC Artist Feature - Sheila Netteler from Shelandry Studio

Featuring artists on my blog gives me the opportunity to meet some really awesome people.

And I am excited to introduce to you Shelia from Shelandry Studio. 

Many artists are very shy and don't like to talk about themselves, and it's a struggle to get them to answer my questions.  Well, Shelia is not...lol  I love her answers, and included them in their entirety.  You'll love her too...

so let's get started.

adult/teen custom hoodie

What is the story behind your shop name?

  Shelandry Studio came from my OC (original character) name. This has been my RP (role playing) name since I was a teenager & over time it ended up being my stage name as well as my artist  & cosplayer alias.

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

        I have been sewing & drawing as long as I can remember. My grandmother & mother like to do home crafts and sew a  lot, and my grandfather and several uncles were artists by hobby. We would attend rendezvous and ren fairs making our own costumes and weapons. So I naturally picked it up and started learning how to sew & draw. I did it mostly for fun and making things for family, but it wasn't until after I got a job at a haunted house in the mid 90's that I started using my talents for items other than personal gifts. Through my dad & one of his friends I became a scene designer, costume maker & FX artist at a local haunted house. I worked there until early 2000's when I was introduced to the cosplay scene by some online friends. I made my first cosplay costume in 2008 and went to my first convention. I fell in love with the endless creative possibilities I had seen there and changed the basic mood of my current works from horror themed (which i was getting quickly burned out on the unchanging monotony) to seemingly unlimited potential of anime/manga/game themed ideas. I taught myself how to make anything I needed to use, and thus began an amazing creative journey that has yet to become boring. 

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success?

    The biggest obstacle that I see in my current choice of hobby, if you will, is that there are many, many people who also have the very same ideas and talents. There are lots of people who cosplay & who also commission for them, and there are also lots of artists out there who draw with the same or similar styles as I do. Many of those other artists have a lot more time and practice in their portfolio then I do, and many of them also have more resources to do more than I can afford to do being a stay at home mom and only in the hobby for about 6 years. Despite the competition being thick, I still am not pushed away from what I fell in love with. I do have a leg up on some things as I do make a few things that are less common in my circles, like my hoodies.  Even to this day I do not see many like the ones I make and thus sell more of those than anything else through my online shops. 

pastel/charcoal artwork

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, etc.

I am a divorced mother of 3 beautiful daughters, 20, 13 & 11. I have been dating my current boyfriend for almost 5 years now and we hope to be married later this year. I have a small zoo around my house. To be honest, we love animals, especially those that needed love. All of our pets are rescue animals of one form or another. We have several cats, 2 of which were rescued kittens from a local store parking lot, the rest were born from a local stray and taken in and hand raised as our own from tiny babies when their mother abandoned them. Our dogs were unwanted as puppies as well, one was dumped on a country road and found on my mother's doorstep the other was being given away at a local store. My daughter also has a rescue hamster that was given to her by a family friend when his grandson no longer wanted it and it needed a home. Our house at times can be a little crazy and hectic but I work hard at doing my best to keep in in working order. I use what free time I have for my hobbies, which usually end up being after he has left for work for the night and the kids go to bed, or the occasional time I get the chores done and have some free time during the day when the kids are at school.

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb.

     I live in a very small rural town in mid Missouri. The closest town in any direction is 25-30 minutes away. The closest city is an hour or so away. I live in farm area but I myself do not have a farm but are surrounded by fields & woods. I love the peace and quiet i get out here but it does at times make getting what I need a pain. I only make so many trips to town a month, especially with the price of gas these days. So I make my shopping trips count and run a lot of errands at once. It does help that my boyfriend does work over nights at one of the stores in town and can pick up things on his way home in the morning saving those tiny trips to town for little things like milk.

Share a story / memory of your childhood.

   One of the memories I love about my childhood was getting together with my uncles and cousins and going to rendezvous and ren fairs . We also LARPed (live action role play) a lot as a family and they are where I got a majority of my inner nerd from. To this day we all still get together and LARP occasionally and have been passing our traditions and our costume & weapon making skills onto our children.

tree of life pendant

Tell us something about you that no-one else might know.

     There really isn't much that most people who know me don't know. The only thing I really keep to myself was the parts of my life that were not so great. There was a time where I was in a very bad place all around, when I was married to my oldest child's father and when I was with the man I dated for 13 years & almost married (the father of my 2 youngest children) . Both relationships were controlling and abusive both mentally and emotionally. Lucky for me I got out before they got to the physical abuse aspect. That part of my life lasted for about 15 years or so and during that time I used my art as a mental escape for myself and as an aid in helping me regain my sense of self after I got the courage to take back my life and get my children away from that kind of life and have started a life with a man who loves and respects me and my children. I do not talk about my past much and most people that were not around me then unless they ask never really know or knew what I had been through and how far I had came in the time since.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be, and why?

     I never really thought about this much. Unless you count my own fictional character Shelandry and her twin sister Amber that I have created for all of my role playing over the years, if that is the case I would love to be her, well them. Shelandry is like me in many ways, kind and caring but has the ability to help people and heal the injured as she is a healing priestess and her best friend is a dragon and I love dragons. Amber because she is strong and independent and protects her sister with everything she has.

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet.

 I do not have some of the traditional social media that many use like twitter or Instagram, those are for my personal use when I even use them, but I do have a couple websites that I use for my studio.

Facebook: facebook.com/shelandrystudio

DeviantArt: shelandrystudio.deviantart.com

Scotts Marketplace shop: scottsmarketplace.com/store/shelandrystudio/

Etsy: etsy.com/shop/ShelandryStudio

Pick a favorite item from your shop, and why is it your favorite.

My favorite item in my shop has to be my custom character hoodies. There are so many different deign styles that I had to make a couple different listing to separate them into categories. I went from the usual requests of Pokemon characters to having to grow into making a separate listing for My Little Pony designs and even BJDs (ball jointed dolls). They are my favorite because I never know what my next order will be, and designing the hoodies to the wanted characters are such fun. I love the fact that I can use both my art and my sewing at one time and make something that makes people happy, especially little kids, who seem to really really love their  hoods designed after their favorite characters.

child size custom hoodie

What advise would you give a new artist just starting out?

My advice to any new artist, including my children who also have shown interest in becoming artists in one form or another. never give up. Practice a lot and never ever let anyone tell you that it is not worth the time because there are so many people also doing it. Doing something you love will never be a waste of time. Look for something that you really love and always put a bit of yourself into what you do. People can see the difference between something being made out of habit or necessity and something made out of love and passion for what they do. A true artist always puts a bit of their soul into their art, no matter the medium it takes shape in. Their art is who they are inside and how they view what makes them happy.

Pick a favorite item from another shop, and why is it your favorite.

 After looking through all the shops in the categories that I like to buy from (which as of right now there were not very many) I can say so far my favorite shop was Amigurumi Man. Their items are in the theme that I collect and also in an art form that I do not have access to around where I live. They crochet a lot of gaming themed items, most crochet items around where I am are hats, country crafts and the like and a lot of the conventions that I attend have the themes that I collect but in forms that I find everywhere, like bead work, artwork or plastic crafts.

Do you have any special coupon codes for our readers?

   I do have a special only for your readers, it is called Blog reader special. Just enter the code " BlogReaderSpecial " and receive free shipping on all orders over $35.00 . Code valid until 12/31/16

Wasn't this great????   I just love Sheila and her shop Shelandry Studio.  And don't forget to use the discount she has so generously provided only to my readers.

And while your there, check out the other great shops at

Scott's Marketplace.

Until next time,

Be blessed,

Debb

Decorating With Handmade

What is your decor style?  Shabby chic? Rustic? Traditional?

Would you like me to tell you what looks great with every style?

Handmade.

Adding handmade decor to any style brings a uniqueness to your home that you just can't find in any big box stores or factory made furnishings.  A little touch here, and little touch there, and

VIOLA'

your home is uniquely yours.  Here's a few great ideas to get you started.

(If any links are available, you will find them under the pictures.)

Isn't this a great way to create mood lighting in a room?  Stop at any flea market and scoop up some old ladles.  Bend them and mount them on a piece of wood, add a candle...and perfect.  Use wonderfully white chippy wood for a shabby chic look, or use rough wood for rustic, and smooth painted wood for a more traditional look.  A great and easy DIY project.

UHL art

No home is completely "you" without an original piece of artwork that represents your style.  Not only does art express your inner feelings, it is also a great investment.

Ali's pots

And sometimes it's just the little things that can make a house your home.

What's your favorite decorating idea to bring personality to your home?

Be blessed,

Debbi

Time For A Little Local Shopping

When you shop, do you look at labels?  Do you wonder where the item came from?  Who made it?

I know I do, and that's why I really like Scott's Marketplace.

You can search by location, and thereby support your local small businesses.

Let's see what I found in my part of North Carolina.

who says sign

I like this sign.  It's much better than the "oh, the smoke detector went off, dinner must be ready" comments I get around here. lol

I found this, and other signs, in Simply Stef's, located in Raleigh NC.

enamelware baby dish set

I enjoy everything vintage.

And the shop Noble Niches Treasures has great vintage, like this enamelware baby dish set.

Noble Niches is located in Mint Hill.

lavender bliss soap

I love handcrafted soaps...they are so luxurious and scrumptious.  I tried making my own, but it is very time consuming, so let's support Karess Kraters Apothercary and let her do all the work in Holly Springs.

Speaking of time...that's all I have this morning.

Time to get my girl going on her schoolwork.

Check out these and other great businesses at Scott's Marketplace, and until next time...

Be blessed,

Debbi

A Handmade Monday

When you shop, do you look at the tags? Do you care where (or how) the item was made? Do you look for quality or just the price?  Are you a "keep it and care for it" kind of person, or do you just let it fall apart and then "trash it and buy more"?

I have to admit, I'm a little bit of both.  I do look at the labels when I am shopping, and I am trying my best to support the "made in the USA" label, and you can find great deals with products made here.  When I am shopping for myself, I don't mind spending over $100 for a dress, or close to that for a pair of shoes, because I am definitely a "keep it and care for it" personality type.  But if I'm shopping for my teen daughter, who is definitely a "trash it and buy more" type, I refuse to pay a lot for an outfit that I know will end up on the floor of her closet. lol.  Her homeschool prom is coming up and our go-to store for her is Ross.  Her prom gown only cost $30.   Perfect.

Now to get to my main subject...handmade.
If you want quality....go handmade.  For some reason, (probably advertising), people think that when something is handmade it is not made as well as something made with a machine.  Helloooooo.  Have you checked the stitching and seams of the imported clothes hanging in Walmart?  Or the cheap jewelry you find hanging on endcaps?  Or (my pet peeve) the $5.00 jewelry you'll find at craft shows?  They ARE NOT handmade, they are cheap imports that will fall apart.  So, to combat the false images of "nice jewelry, cheap", let me show you some totally awesome and unique pieces of art that you wear, and keep forever, and then pass on as a family heirloom.

Harlequin Bracelet

I am amazed by the intricacies of chainmaille.  And I just happen to know a wonderful chainmaille artist, Alix.  Alix shares her creations at The Alchemists Vessel.
She created a bracelet for me, my choice of color...I still have it, and I love it!
Check her out.

teal macrame bracelet

Remember the macrame craze of the 80's?
The friendship bracelet craze of the 90's?
Take that and add beads, and you have some totally unique creations from KnotJustMacrame.
I follow Sherri on facebook, and if you follow her too, you'll get to see her during the creation process.  Plus, she's just fun.

silver and citrine earrings

And lastly, how about some wire wrapping?  Just look at the work put into these silver and citrine earrings by AOA jewelry.

Now it's your turn.  Your turn to decide if you're going to go for cheap, or quality?

I'll take quality any day.

Be blessed,
Debbi

TBC Artist Feature - Theresa Smith from Wear Lucy

Do you purchase items from the local big box store?  With lots of imported items to choose from?

Or, like me, do you prefer the beauty and quality of a uniquely handcrafted item?

It's time for another artist feature, to help you find that special something.  And this time, the shop I'm featuring from Scott's Marketplace is

Theresa Smith from Wear Lucy.

orange sea glass toggle bracelet

What is the story behind your shop name? My shop name (Wear Lucy) is a kind of tribute to my grandmother - we share a middle name: Lucille. She was always making something - sewing or crochet. 

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

I am mostly self taught, learning from magazines and maybe a few videos. Some things I just figure out on my own. I love to look at other jewelry and figure out how it was put together. I got my start after my sister in law introduced me to jewelry making by showing me some pieces she had made. 

raw ruby chain lariat necklace

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success? 

Time and reach. Since I work full time and also run a small graphic design business, I don't get to spend as much time as I would like making jewelry. This limits my selection. It also restricts my marketing efforts, as as a result, my reach.

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, 

I am married for almost 16 years to my best friend and have two beautiful children, one teenager and one preteen.  

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb.

I live about a half hour north of Charlotte. Our neighborhood is smaller than some developments which I love.  (and she's only about 20 minutes from me in Stony Point)

solar quartz

Share a story / memory of your childhood. One of my fondest memories from childhood is sitting on my grandmother's lap as she taught me to color. 

Tell us something about you that no-one else might know.

Many people don't know that I served in the U.S. Navy as a welder. 

olive wood pen

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be, and why? 

This is a tough one! I can't seem to think of any after racking my brain LOL. With my hectic schedule I can't remember the last time I even read an entire book!

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet. 

My Scott's Marketplace 

www.scottsmarketplace.com/store/wearlucy/

Instagram

www.instargram.com/wearlucy

Facebook

www.facebook.com/wearlucy

Pinterest

www.pinterest.com/wearlucy/

leather and quartz wrap

Pick a favorite item from your shop, and why is it your favorite.

This is a tough one, but I'd have to say my favorite is one of my newest listings, the Leather and Quartz wrap bracelet. This is one I spent a lot of time making and love how it turned out.

What advise would you give a new artist just starting out? 

Don't go off and buy a bunch of beads on a whim! I made this mistake and wasted a lot of money on things I didn't end up using because my taste changed very quickly. I would say buy based on specific projects you have in mind first, then as you find your own style, you can more confidently buy in bulk.

Do you have any special coupon codes for our readers?

For 15% off they can use ARTFEAT16

I want to thank Theresa for being such a good sport, most artists don't answer all the questions, so this feature was fun, and I love her work.  

Now it's your turn, click on any link to visit her shop and check out all her other items.

And if you live in the area...be sure to support this local small business, that's the ultimate goal of Scott's Marketplace.  Until next time...

Be blessed,

Debbi

YBC Artist Feature - Jayne Roberts from I Do Vintage

It's been a while since I've had the time to post an artists feature...so I am thrilled to bring to you....

Jayne Roberts and I Do Vintage.

wedding card box

 What is the story behind your shop name?

I Do Vintage was launched following my daughter's wedding.  I made a monogram cake topper, vintage suitcase card holder, and personalized hangers for her bridal attendants.  I loved doing it and felt that I could provide the same quality items for other brides at a reasonable cost.  The name came about because of the wedding focus, and also because the theme of her wedding was elegant vintage, so the items I make reflect that theme.

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

2014, by trial and error, watching videos, and lots and lots of practice!

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success?

Getting the word out that I have started this business.  Word of mouth has definitely been helpful.

wedding cake topper

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, etc.

Married for 23 years, One daughter, married and in medical school, one son, senior in college, 2 stepdaughters and 3 grandkids.

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb.

Faucett, MO. Out in the country between St. Joseph and Kansas City, MO

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet.

facebook.com/idovintage.bridalhangers

idovintage.weebly.com

instagram.com/idovintage.bridalhangers

twitter.com/@ido_vintage

With the wedding season heading into full gear, now is the time to visit I Do Vintage

on Scott's Marketplace.

And while you're there, be sure to visit the other stores...

(mine too).

Be blessed,

Debbi

YBC Artist Feature - Mackenna Swinford Creations

WOW!!!  It has been a week, I can't even describe!  But I didn't want another day to go by without sharing another shop from Scott's Marketplace,

so today's feature is on Mackenna Swinford Creations.

Grumpy Cat Ornament

What is the story behind your shop name?

No imagination there. Just plain, simple and to the point.

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

I spent each Christmas season as a child going to schools and churches with my Mom to the local Holiday Bazaars. I loved them. I spent most of my childhood and early adult life drawing and painting but I was always so impressed by how cross stitch could look so much like a painting or drawing. 5 years ago I transitioned from working on a retail sales floor to working from home and decided it was high time I honed in on learning to cross stitch. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year so I purchased a few kits online to try to teach myself and would sit up all night watching old movies and making ornaments. After my first one sold I was hooked!

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success?

Getting your merchandise in front of buying customers is the biggest challenge I think. The internet does make it easier than it used to be but it also makes it easier to locate 10,000 choices at the same time.

Super Mario magnet set

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, etc.

I spend my days with the most wonderful man. My brothers, sister in law, nieces, nephew, Mom and friends I consider family fill my days with laughter and meaning. And even though my father was lost to us 5 years ago his memory and the way he inspired all of our lives keeps him with us daily. 

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb.

I live in central Indiana on a farm. The tiny house is 105 years old. Barns, garages and gardens are all present but no animals (yet).

Monkey ornament

Share a story / memory of your childhood.

Growing up spending every summer at the pool with my family and friends jamming out to 80’s Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Chicago and the Eagles. It was the greatest way to grow up!

Tell us something about you that no-one else might know

I do not take my Christmas decorations down until mid March when Spring starts to show up.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be, and why?

Jonas from the book The Giver. To be able to learn that reality as you know it is just a sliver of reality…fascinating. 

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet.

Twitter: mackswincreate

Instagram: mackennaswinfordcreations

tumblr: mackennaswinfordcreations

facebook: www.facebook.com/mackennaswinfordcreations

Santa holding tree

Pick a favorite item from your shop, and why is it your favorite.

Santa Claus Ball Holding Decorated Tree Christmas Ornament is one of my favorites. It is just such a cheerful ornament.

What advise would you give a new artist just starting out?

It starts slow. Don’t get frustrated. Just remember you do this because you love it. Be patient, all it takes is one person to love your work.

Pick a favorite item from another shop, and why is it your favorite.

Boba Fett Star Wars Hat in the shop With Love by Sim. As a child of the 80’s Star Wars was such a big part of my life (especially having 3 older brothers).

Boba Fett Star Wars hat

Do you have any special coupon codes for our readers?

NewYear2016

And that's it for this weeks feature.

Click on any link to visit Mackenna and I'll see you all soon.

Be blessed,

Debbi

YBC Artist Feature - Jennifer Avallone from JGA Creations

I love when older art forms make a  comeback...and quilling is a beautiful craft dating back to the Renaissance, when nuns and monks used tightly rolled strips of paper to decorate book covers and religions items.  Today we are visiting a quilling artist from Scott's Marketplace

Jennifer Avallone from JGA Creations.

Cinderella Slipper

I am a shoe fanatic...so I had to start the "show" with this 5x7 piece of loveliness.

What is the story behind your shop name?

It's my initials :)

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

4 years ago I saw a woman doing a demo and no one knows or knew what quilling was. I looked it up on YouTube when I got home and taught myself. 

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success?

I also run craft fairs weekly (spring - fall) so finding the time to have inventory and custom orders done is very hard for me. My pieces take a while to complete. 

War Memorial

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, etc.

My boyfriend and I started jga creations officially 3 years ago and I have made it my full time career since then. Couldn't do my fairs and get everything done with out him. My cat is no help lol. He steals and eats my paper strips.

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb.

I live on Long Island in New York. It's an hour from Manhattan. 

Share a story / memory of your childhood.

I've always been artsy and also have been a musician since I'm about 3. 

My father is a painter so I remember watching him when I was a kid. 

framed Lion

Tell us something about you that no-one else might know

Only people who really know me know that I sing. My life's dream was to be a singer but stage fright when I was younger kept me away. Now I'm not so scared lol. Don't mind a karaoke stage from time to time. 

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be, and why?

A fairy so I can fly 

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet.

www.facebook.com/jgacreations 

www.instagram.com/jgacreations

www.etsy.com/shop/jgacreations

www.scottsmarketplace.com/store/jgacreations 

A Nightmare Before Christmas

Pick a favorite item from your shop, and why is it your favorite.

Not only is it my best seller but it's also one of my favorites to make. 

What advise would you give a new artist just starting out?

It takes time. You have to love what you do. We aren't in this to be millionaires just love it and it will love you back. It takes hard work. Promote and don't be afraid to hear the word no. 

Do you have any special coupon codes?

I have a coupon on etsy until Valentine's Day. Hearts10.

And that's it for our visit with Jennifer....I love her artwork, and so will you.  Plus you NEED to visit her shop to see absolutely EVERYTHING...she not only quills, she's an amazing photographer.  Just click on any item/shop link above, and don't forget to like and follower her on FB and Instagram.  I just did.  :0)

Till next time...

Be blessed,

Debbi

Storewide Sale

As I shared before...The Yankee Burrow Co. is heading in a new direction this year with more emphasis on home decor and original artwork.  So I am having a sale...

50% off everything in my shop with the coupon code CLEANHOUSE50.

Another reason for this sale is....

WE ARE MOVING!

Not just into a new house, but a new "old" state.

We are moving back to New York sometime this summer/year to be closer to family,

and while I'm excited, I'm also kind of bummed.  I'm gonna miss NC...the mountains, the sunsets (and sunrises), the HEAT!!! lol

I am also feeling overwhelmed.  While our home is just under 1000 square feet, which is tight for a family of 4, we also have 3 outbuildings...one of them is my art studio...which is full of STUFF.

So please, help me clean my inventory so I don't have to pack it and move it 5 states!

Just a quick click to share this post would help me tremendously!

Here's a few more items you can get...cheap...

Chunky Crochet Square Cowl

A cowl is a great fashion accessory for every season, and the tweed colors of this cowl are warm and beautiful.  This cowl is squared, but we also have a tapered cowl of the same yarn for a tighter fit.

Lilac Beaded Purse

Speaking of fashion accessories...you can never have too many handbags...and this lilac beaded bag is a roomy 12.5" by 10.5" and is lined so no worries about your comb or keys poking through the gorgeous shell pattern of the purse.

There is also much more available...so check out my shop...and don't forget to use the coupon code CLEANHOUSE50 to save you money!

Be blessed,

Debbi

YBC Artist Feature - Jackie Gallagher from Kurbaga Artisans

Are you a Lego's fan?  Is someone you love love Lego's?  Then have I found something you NEED!

Lego Boy Cuff Links

It's Emmett!!!  And these lego boy cufflinks are the creation of this weeks artist feature...

Jackie Gallagher from

Kurbaga Artisans on Scott's Marketplace.

Jackie kindly answered a few of my crazy questions...so here we go...

What is the story behind your shop name?

The story behind my shop name is an interesting one, My shop name is Kurbaga Artisans, and Kurbaga is Turkish for frogs, and the reason for this is that I love frogs, they are happy little creatures that are always singing a song.  So when I needed a shop name my son decided to research the word frog in different languages, as he had done this as a young child when we had him research the word 'spot' in foreign languages as we had a litter of Dalmatian puppies and we were naming all the puppies Spot in a foreign language.

Where, when, how did you learn your craft?

 I have always been on the creative side for as longs I can remember in one form or another, so when I decided that I wanted to make jewelry more of a career I started taking classes anywhere and everywhere so that I could refine my skills.

What has been your biggest obstacle, or challenge, to finding and achieving success?

 My biggest obstacle/challenge is finding time to do everything, like website, marketing, design & build, networking etc., it always seems that something gets left out.

Kate

Tell us a little about your family life...married, kids, pets, etc.

Tell us a little bit about where you live....city, farm, suburb.

 I am married for 30 years and we have one son and 3 fur babies (a 13 yr old Australian Shepard, a 9 yr old Chocolate Lab, and a 6 yr old Shih Tzu)

We live in Crofton, Md. so we are really close to beautiful city of Annapolis, but can quickly reach Washington DC and Baltimore, Md, so we have a little bit of everything near us.

Share a story / memory of your childhood.

Being able to go to the river to and spend the day sailing, catching Md Blue Crabs and then coming home with them for my mom to cook.

If you could be a fictional character, who would you be, and why?

Tinkerbell, because she flies all around the place

Lily Pad Lounge Frog Necklace

Share your social media links and where we can find you on the internet.

http://www.facebook.com/kurbagaartisans

 twitter - @kurbagaartisans

www.kurbagaartisans.com

Pick a favorite item from your shop, and why is it your favorite.

 Favorite item from my shop - would be my Lilypad Lounging Pendant or my Tree of Life pendant, my Lilypad Lounging because it has a frog on lilypad and most lilypads are beautiful to look at, and the Tree of Life because the Tree is the foundation of strength  & family, I usually wear the 2 together and receive lots of complements

What advise would you give a new artist just starting out?

hone in on one particular area and become really good at it, and always have people who will rally around you for support.

Do you have any special coupon codes for our readers?

 Debbi15, use it at checkout for 15% off

I love meeting new people, and getting to know the creative soul behind the creations, don't you?

Click on any links to visit Jackie's shop to see what else she has to offer, you'll enjoy the trip.

Be blessed,

Debbi

A New Year...A New Look

The Yankee Burrow Co. has been in business since February 2010.

5 years of growing, and changing, and evolving.

I started out working with my daughter Amanda on Etsy, and our shop was Our Home to Yours.

5 years later, I'm on my own and known as Yankee Burrow.

And I still like it.

BUT

sometimes life situations causes us to re-evaluate and change, yet again.  

And The Yankee Burrow Co. will be changing over the next few months.

I will be updating my blog.

Changing my website.

Adding a site to feature truly handmade items.

AND changing my own direction of handmade.

Gone will be all the crochet scarfs, and jewelry.  The market is way too saturated with both.

Soon you will see original artwork, home decor, and totally unique wearable art pieces.

And, of course, baby stuff, just cuz I love me some babies. lol

SO

to start fresh, I need to clean house.  

I now have EVERY ITEM in my Scott's Marketplace shop on sale.

50% off everything.

A flat $5.00 shipping fee, except for the large heavy items, and as usual all the jewelry and greeting cards ship free.

Just use the coupon code CLEANHOUSE50 at check out.

Let's take a peek at what I have to offer.

Rainbow Lilac Crochet Scarf

With the winter starting to settle in, even here in NC, there is nothing nicer than a warm soft scarf around your neck.  And this scarf is super warm with the fun fur yarn giving it softness.

It is listed at $22.00, but you can get it for only $11.00

If you're looking for that unique statement piece of jewelry, how about this one of a kind, double strand necklace?  Listed at $28.00, now only $14.00.

Now, if you're always dreaming of summer, and enjoy the boho retro look, grab this handwoven, 100% cotton long fringe belt.  Listed at $20.00, with the coupon code CLEANHOUSE, only $10.00.

Plus if you are in the area, everything is available for pick up.

Check out my shop, The Yankee Burrow Co. for more great savings.

Come back soon.

Be blessed,

Debbi