Feature Friday #3- Julie Hanan Design

 Hi guys, it's time for another great Feature Friday.  This time, I'm featuring Julie Hanan with Julie Hanan Design.  She owns a custom invitation + graphic design studio and specializes in unique and fresh designs for special events,  as well as providing smart solutions for businesses. You can see her work at Julie Hanan Design on Etsy.

How long have you been doing your craft? 

I started my business in March, 2010; however, I have been doing graphic design work for the last 15 years. I previously worked as an interior designer, and received my BFA in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.

How would you describe your style?

My style is extremely contemporary and modern, and I try to create unique, cutting edge designs.

What inspires you to create?

I love to travel in my spare time, and I am really influenced by all the different cultures and color schemes.

Why did you decide to delve into the wedding business?

I created my first wedding invitation for a few friends who were getting married. Soon my name spread to a lot of local friends and since I had always wanted to own my own business, I decided I wanted to start my own design business.

Have you ever had a frustrating experience working with a client?

Yes, I have had a few frustrating experiences with some clients thus far. Even though some clients have been more difficult, each experience has been valuable to me as it's allowed me to grow as a professional.

Do you have any new items you plan on adding to your shop?

I currently have about 10-15 new items that I plan to add to my shop in the next few weeks. Currently, my newest items are pictured on my website, www.juliehanan.com, or on my facebook fan page.

Which items are your favorite to make and why?

I really enjoy designing custom invitations as well as custom business cards. I feel that having a unique business card is really important for businesses to stand out from the crowd.

Do you have a facebook, twitter, or blog?

I have a facebook and a twitter. I am currently in the process of creating a blog, however it is not complete yet.
WEBSITE: www.juliehanan.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/JulieHananDesign
TWITTER: twitter.com/#!/jhanandesign
BLOG: juliehanandesign.blogspot.com/

Do you sell anywhere besides Etsy?

I do sell outside of Etsy mostly. Many people contact me from my website or Facebook. I also plan to attend some bridal shows and sell in some local stores in the future.

Make sure you visit her shop, http://www.juliehanandesign.etsy.com, and go over and "like" her on Facebook!

Feature Friday #2- Nic's Button Buds

Wow, I can't believe it's Friday again already!  Where does the week go?  I'm bringing another talented artist, Nicole Answer, to Feature Friday.  Nicole works as a customer service rep for Alcoa Fastening Systems during the day, but her hobby job is making button bouquets for weddings.  In addition to that, she also makes hair accessories and other odds and ends from buttons. Check out her shop on Etsy, NicAnswer

 

  How long have you been doing your craft?

Actually not that long, a little less than a year.  I started it when I decided to attempt making my own bouquets for my wedding.

 

Your button bouquets are really unique.  What gave you the idea to use buttons?

Well. I am getting married myself in May this year (2011) and was trying to work out what I would do in the way of flowers.  I am getting married in the small town of Marysville and there is only really a florist in Alexandra (who works out the side of a video shop and I don’t think does weddings flowers).  Anyway, we thought about buying wholesale flowers, but while working out what I might do I stumbled across alternative bouquets.  I fell in love with the buttons right away.

It suited our DIY wedding as it was something I could try to make myself and keep within our budget.  It actually proved to be more expensive than I thought BUT I was so pleased with the results.  I enjoyed making them so much I thought it would make a great hobby.

 

What inspires you to create?

I come from a crafty family.  My sister and I spent lots of time with Gran growing up and were always helping her make various arts and crafts.  My mum is a sewer and an absolutely magnificent quilter.  I have scrapbooked for a long time too and this just seemed to fit in with my need to create.  I love my day job and can't imagine giving it up, but I have always felt a need to express my artistic side through various means. I can't pinpoint a specific thing that inspires me, but I do know I really enjoy it.

 

Why did you decide to delve into the wedding business?

I think when I finished my own bouquets and was approached by someone to see if I could make something for them.  I LOVED working with them and hearing the excitement leading up to their wedding.  I actually get heaps of enjoyment hearing about different brides' wedding plans, seeing their inspiration photos, etc. It's nice to be a small part of such a special day in someone’s life.

Do you have any new items you plan on adding to your shop? 

At this stage I am quite busy with custom orders.  At some point I would like to make up some ready to ship pieces.  I may also sell off some excess buttons.  In reality though, I think it will be just more versions of button bouquets.

Which items are your favorite to make and why?

Well I enjoy the bouquets the most of course, but if I need to be really specific it would be making the bride's bouquet.  I always spend a little extra time on these than other pieces of work.  I love looking for that special button to set it off, etc.  

 

Do you have a facebook, twitter, or blog?  

I have a twitter – @nicsbuttonbuds (to be honest I don’t use this much)

My facebook can be found under nicsbuttonbuds and I communicate a lot through here.  I often have pictures of works in progress as well for people to view.

 

Do you sell anywhere besides Etsy?

I do advertise on ebay at times, and of course I have brides contact me directly through facebook or my website, www.mybuttonbouquet.com

Aren't they stunning?  Be sure to check Nicole out at http://nicanswer.etsy.com

Feature Friday #1- ArtsyButterfly

For a while I've been wanting to feature other designers on here, and have decided to start doing an interview once a week.  My first interview was with the lovely ArtsyButterfly on Etsy.  

 

1. Who are you and what do you do?

First off, I am a little bit of a cornball. Case in point--at first glance of this question the first thing that came to mind was Kindergarden Cop and the voice of Arnold asking "Who is your daddy and what does he do?". But, in all serious with that little tangent aside, I am your average 26 year old woman trying to find her place in this "real-life" world. By day, I'm the lab monkey for a cell and molecular bio lab, but by night I'm a wife, a mom to two furbabies, and a craftoholic. I love to spend my free time goofing around with my husband, playing with our pups, crafting and volunteering for local organizations.

2. How long have you been doing your craft?

I began my trials with handcrafted-florals while I was planning my wedding from June 2009-September 2010. But, I've been crafting for many years now. I've always had a love for all medias of art and have enjoyed everything from knitting, to sculpting, as well as photography.

3. How and why did you start designing?

It all began with a flash of inspiration after seeing the trend in fabric hair flowers; I couldn't help but think that a mix of them would make a beautiful bouquet. With my wedding on the horizon and as a lifetime DIYer it was a given that I would be creating as many things possible for my own wedding. Once all was said and done and the wedding came to pass I learned that many other brides loved my creations (through my wedding recap posts as a blogger on Weddingbee) and decided to listen to their suggestions and get back into Etsy.

4. What inspires you to create?

Ummm, well....I wouldn't be lying if I told you that nearly everything inspires me.

I have always had an eye for looking at things with a different scope. I love going to thrift stores and yard sales and finding items that look like junk or trash to one person (ahem...my husband) and then buying them and turning them into something new. I'm also very much inspired by the brides I work with. I love taking their ideas and adding my own twist to them to create something that we both can awe over.

5. I notice you use a lot of vintage doilies and lace in your work. Do you think this is becoming a “trend”? Why did you decide to do it?

I do believe there has been a trend in bringing life to old items and that is what I love about using vintage lace and doilies. I appreciate that something beautiful and modern doesn't have to be pre-fabricated and straight out of the box. But, I am slightly biased, I have always had an adoration for all things lace and for items from years past. I think a lot of it goes back to childhood recollections of growing up in an old Victorian style house that was adorned and furnished with antiques. I was always fascinated by all the delicate details and intricate work that went into each piece.

6. Why did you decide to delve into the wedding business?

Planning and creating for my own wedding was the biggest pusher. In the process of it all I learned a lot about my abilities and what I actually enjoyed doing. I also loved the idea of being able to contribute to a bride's wedding day vision and am rewarded by the fact that my product will hold a special place in their heart.

7. Do you have any new items you plan on adding to your shop?

I have so many new item ideas for my shop and truly wish I had a clone to keep up with my brain. I've just added the budget friendly mini-bouquet to my shop and plan on creating a few more that are ready made. I've also had plans to add large single flower bloom bouquets that are reminiscent of glamelias. Eventually, I will also plan on adding vintage-inspired garters featuring miniature versions of my flowers.

8. Which items are your favorite to make and why?

I get the most pleasure out of my custom orders and love when clients challenge me to create a new variety of flower. I love this because it keeps me on my toes and at the same time adds to my repertoire.

9. Do you have a facebook, twitter, or blog?

I am proud to say, that yes, I finally have all three. I finally caved with twitter and am slowly learning the ins and outs of it.

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Artsy-Butterfly/173055932728256

Blog:
theartsybutterfly.wordpress.com/

Twitter:
@SarahGisArtsyB

10. Do you sell anywhere besides Etsy?

No, currently Etsy is my only true venue. I've had discussions with a bridal salon owner in Georgia, but have yet to finalize the details.

Check out more of ArtsyButterfly's beautiful work on Etsy:  http://artsybutterfly.etsy.com