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 - Traci Weber and WalkAboutYoga

I love talking about artists, handmade, and small businesses.  And today I want to share with you

Traci and her business Walk About Yoga.

I have heard so much about essential oils, and I have used them in some of my all natural body products I sell at the local farmers market.  

Traci has this adorable inner peace aromatherapy necklace in her Scott's Marketplace shop.

You just place a few drops of the oil in the clay bottle and the oil is absorbed into the cork.

I especially like the upside down owl on the label.

That's seems to be the story of me...upside down.

Now let's hear some more of Traci's story.

I love the name of my company- WalkAboutYoga (WAY). After completing my 200 hour Yoga Certification I decided I would like to offer a unique yoga class.WAYs  class offers a 90 minute hike with yoga stops along with way in my beautiful hometown, Milford, CT. Locations include Silver Sands Beach and downtown.  Outdoor yoga frees the yoga spirit, and the open space expands the heart. I think WalkAboutYoga tells the story of my company perfectly!

Once WAY closed for the season I wanted to offer something to my students and the public, that involved yoga and all that yoga offers. What could I do?? What else says YOGA?

Mala beads, Yoga mats and essential oils- So, I started making them!   All WAY'S handcrafted products are made with love, intention and gratitude, they are purified with sage and blessed before they are shipped.

WAY places a high value on giving back, living with kindness and compassion.  We have created the Give-A-WAY Initiative. You can't keep what you don't give a way. On the first of every month we Give-A-WAY one Essential Oil Roll-On or a gift certificate for a walkabout to a special recipient that has been nominated. Just our WAY of giving back.

Being a Mom and Pop shop, minus the Pop. There are lots of challenges! Especially, since I have a 9-5 job!  WalkAboutYoga means so much to me, I love feeling that I am making a difference, that I am sharing my love of yoga with others. If I inspire one person, WOW, would that be great!  So, I stay up late, get up early and work on the weekend- and I LOVE it.

I love all of the products I create~ each one is infused with a deep connection to the person receiving it. A lot of me goes into each product. Right now I especially love the Mala bead necklaces. I in vision the stillness, calmness and ease of the person using them to aide their meditation practice.

 I live, play, teach and design in Milford, Ct, along with my husband, daughter and furbabies.

Traci also has her own website, WalkAboutYoga.net, where you can learn even more about her, and purchase other yoga equipment not listed in her Scott's store.

So check out her site, and I'll see y'all tomorrow.

Be blessed,

Debbi

September Party Time!

I'm bringing back Party Time here at The Yankee Burrow Life!

Twice a month I'm going to host a linky party...one for handmade and one for upcycled and vintage items.  Here are the rules...they are so simple.

1.) Post a link to a handmade item you have for sale...from any site.  Etsy.  The CraftStar.  

Handmade Artist.  Zibbet.  Artfire.  And especially your own website.

Or

Post a link to your blog post (not your blog URL) featuring a handmade item, or a DIY project.

2.)  Visit the other shop/blog links and like your favorites.

I will then do a special feature on the most liked link.

3.)  SHARE...SHARE...SHARE!

Share this party on all your social media sites.  And come back often to see what's new from others, and to even post more for yourself.

Please remember...this is a family friendly site, so no mature items please.

Are you ready????

Let's go!

Be blessed,
Debbi

The Statesville Artisian and Crafters Expo 2015

This is a little late in posting, but a few weeks ago I attended my first craft show of the season.

The Statesville Artisian and Crafters Expo was held in our local mall.  While the show was ok, and the promoters worked hard, there was very little foot traffic.  I think that was because the mall is dying.  :0(  When we first moved down here, the mall was at full capacity, but now there are only a handful of shops there.  I heard that the owner of the mall is letting all the leases expire so they can tear it down and build a strip mall, but I don't see that happening.  That whole area of town is is shrinking.  Oh well, at least I made my booth rental and a little extra by the end of the looooong day.

Here's a few pics to lighten the mood.

This is Rena....she does thumbprint art, AND she had her 18 day old baby with her.  I was impressed. 

This is my spot.  

And this is Mabel...my new mannequin.

My new blue shelves and the modge podged heads, you almost can't tell where the cat chewed one of the noses off. lol

How this for a business card holder? Thank You Pinterest. The only problem was that kids kept playing with the slinkys causing the cards to fall.

 

I met lots of talented people there, and you can see pictures of all the vendors on the SACE 

2015 facebook page.

Now my next show in May is...

Faith Community Fest.  This one looks like a lot of fun.  I bet Hannah doesn't spend much time at our booth during this show. hahaha

Are you participating in any shows this year?

Be blessed,

Debbi

What To Do When You're Snowed In?

Besides fight with your kids?

How about taking video's of your cat playing in the snow...

I missed when he was pouncing on a leaf frozen to the ground.

It was pretty funny.

Want to know what else I'm doing?

Setting up my spring/summer/fall craft show schedule.

I love doing craft shows, meeting people, watching them touch and look at my creations.

When it's a good day, they actually purchase something.  :0)

First up?

The Statesville Artisan & Crafters' Spring Expo.

I participated in their fall show last year, and this is a very well organized show.  I'm looking forward to jumping into the craft season with this show.

April 2, 2015 is the first day of 

The Evening Farmers Market

in Pecan Park, 

in historic downtown Statesville, NC.

This market is open every Thursday evening from 4-6, and is a great time.  We have our own balloon man, tons of fresh fruit and veggies, fresh baked goodies, and handcrafted items.

Plus special times of live music.

Then there's the Statesville Arbor Day Celebration...

and The Spring Art Fest at The Coffee Mill....

The Hiddenite Art Festival...

The Taylorsville Apple Festival...

and any other festival I can find within a 75 mile radius of my house.  :0D

I love it when a plan comes together.

Be blessed,

Debbi

The Young Entrepreneur's Guide To Starting & Running A Business - A Book Review

I got this really great book last month from The Crown Publishing Group, "The Young Entrepreneur's Guide To Starting & Running A Business", and it has revived my dream of a unique brick and mortar shop in downtown Statesville.

This book is not just an overview of running a business, but it is 480 pages of information, personal entrepreneur's stories, and step by step instructions for dummies like me to follow while pursuing my dream.  From writing a business plan, to looking for funding, to managing your money, this book covers it all.  I have highlighted parts, noted parts, and have stuck pieces of papers with ideas into its pages, and I am sure that I will be referring to this book often, if not daily.

Here is some info on the author Steve Mariotti.

"Steve Mariotti is the founder and president of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a non-profit organization that has taught over twenty-five thousand young people across the country how to start their own small businesses."

You can purchase this book from Random House here.
 "I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Would you like to hear my dream?

(Besides being a famous author) I would love to make The Yankee Burrow Co. a physical presence in downtown Statesville, NC.  Statesville just updated and improved it's downtown business section with brick sidewalks, benches and outside tables, and actually narrowed the streets in encourage tourists to stroll and visit the local shops in historic buildings. I love it.

My shop would be for local artists and craft masters, but instead of "renting booths" they will offer amazing pieces that I get to approve of first, so the quality will be high.  That's the front of the store.  As you walk to the rear of the store, I will offer local handcrafted, made in America, supplies.  Gumbacher paints, beads, local spun yarn, that sort of thing.  There will be a section where artists can offer classes, or do demonstrations, and I will also have a section for my customers who are hesitant to purchase "expensive" high end unique jewelry.  I've noticed that way too many people are buying junk jewelry with the idea that since they didn't put money into the piece, if it breaks or turns their neck green, just toss it, no big loss.  I want to "re-educate" customers about buying local and supporting small business, and if they purchase a high end piece of jewelry, and want something new, I will "re-sell" their pieces of wearable art.  

Sometimes I get so many ideas running through my head I start talking to myself.

Do you have a business dream?  Get this book, and start down that road.  To get what you need to make yourself happy, you need to gather your courage and take that first step.  What's your dream?

Be blessed,

Debbi

An offer you can't refuse, help selling on facebook

Do you have a business that has a facebook page?  Do you find yourself spending more time on facebook than you do on your business?  Then I have a solution for you.  Tara.  Yep, Tara.  No, not Scarlett's homeplace, but a real live person named Tara Tucker.  She is a self-made expert on the nuances of facebook.  Tara started out with selling her own handmade creations on her page Tuck Me In Blankets.

Before she knew it, she had over 9,000 likes.  Here's a few of her items.

 

I am a proud owner of one of her blankets.  I love it.  And so do my kids....they are constantly trying to steal it from me. LOL

Then Tara started to create purses and other new items, including hats.  Check out this one. (Yes, that's my son Josh playing the model).

Then Tara got into ladders.  So she started another page, Tuck My Fans in With Business which now has almost 15,000 likes.  This is a girl that knows how to use facebook.  Now she is starting a new venture, offering her services as your Facebook Media Manager, freeing your time to be creative.

She offers several different packages and this is what you'll get...

with all packages...

content creation

daily posting

comment responding

spam monitoring

real time reporting

customer service

now the extras....

Package #1 offers daily posting 2 times a day and increase talk abouts for only $50 per month. 

 Package #2 offers daily posting 2 times a day, increase talk abouts and increase fan base for $75 per month.

Basic package offers daily posting 3 times a day and increase fan base with ladders for $100 per month.

Essential package offers daily posting 5 times a day, ladders, and giveaways for $200 a month.

And her Premier package offers daily posting 8 times a day and sharing in business groups for $300 per month.  

See, she has everything covered.  And I can vouch for her because she has increased my business page, and she's my son's fiance.  You can reach her through any of her facebook pages.

Tara Tucker

Tuck Me In Blankets

Tuck My Fans in with Business.

Be blessed,

Debbi

What's new at Yankee Burrow

I have been making myself crazy lately.  I have an idea in my head for my business that has been itching to get out.  I told you some of it last week, with my new landing page and all.  Then I started working on my banner and avatar.  I was desperate for an image that would convey who I am as an artist, besides scatterbrained. lol.  And this is what I came up with...

an artists palette.  I kept one paintbrush for my painting, added knitting needles, and a small beaded bracelet, and then, instead of paint, I used balls of yarn for color.  It was a beast to draw, first I drew it too large and scanning cut off the ends.  So I drew it smaller, but I had used pencil and it scanned too light, so I had to redraw using markers, which are not at all forgiving.  Every mistake caused me to have to start from scratch.  I drew several types of jewelry before I settled on the beaded heart, and after more balls of crumpled paper on the floor that I had left in my tablet, finally it was done.  This is was my final sketch.  I rather like it, but what do you think?  Then it was off to play and manipulate it on the computer to create what I needed.

This is the banner for my landing page and my shop page.

This is the banner for my blog (which you can already see above, but what the heck, here it is again.)

And this is my avatar.

Now, I do have these across most of my social media sites, but because my avatar is not square (who ever saw a square artist palette, lol) the end is usually cut off, but that's ok with me.  Now I'm off to design my new business cards and note cards and coupon cards and so much more.....wheeeee.

On a sad note, Amanda has left Yankee Burrow.  She is working full time now, and spends her free time with her family (and working on her own side business of graphic design with typography), so now I am on my own.  But that's ok, I wish more than anything for Amanda to succeed in her hopes and dreams.  And who knows, someday we may work together again.  We've been tossing around the idea of a physical shop where I can sell crafts supplies and give classes and she can have her printing press and create amazing greeting cards and invitations.  We all need to dream.  What is your dream?

Be blessed,

Debbi

Is it the weekend yet?

My week has been full of ups and downs, but this is why I love The Craft Star. Rhonda (from Steampunk Beadery) makes these for all the shops there, and this one is mine.  (It's actually the second one she made me, the first one is my video business card).

Now, why am I showing you this, you ask?  Because when your days seem to implode, it's good to remind yourself that there are friends out there looking after you, even when you don't seem to have time to look after yourself.

Let's see, Sunday Chuck was sick and in bed all day.

 Monday was spent taking my loving and well behaved children to 3 different doctors appointments.  (Can you hear the sarcasm???)  

Tuesday I had a drilling headache all day, plus it was cold...again...and snowed...again. 

 And then my washing machine broke down.  UGH....

Wednesday....I got a break, a check I forgot about arrived in the mail, so today I get to go shopping for a new washing machine...

But...with all this going on...I did not get to spend any time in my studio yet this week.  And as you crafty people know, when you can't create, you can get downright CRANKY.  lol

So, while I start my shopping for a washer on-line, let me leave you with something to make you 

smile,

giggle,

laugh.

Man...I love that show.

Be blessed,

Debbi

How many of you have heard of Storeya?  It's a cool site/app that allows you to import your shop into your facebook page and The Craft Star is a part of it.  So I took the plunge and added it to my pages.

This is what it looks like...

It's really easy, and you can change it up with different colors and number of items per page.  

Like it?  I feel so professional. :-)

Be blessed,

Debbi