Etsy Shop Feature - TheGoodOleDays

I am excited to feature the wonderful shop TheGoodOleDays!!! Here you will find beautiful handmade items for the home (personally, I am on a big aptron kick as of late!). Check out the beautiful pillow case cover donated to Courage for Kristi!
More about TheGoodOleDays:
How long have you been crafting?I've been sewing on and off for some time now, but I started sewing in earnest last year. I was looking for something to do to help earn some extra money while I homeschooled my son.

When did you turn your hobby into a business?
Working outside of the home was not really an option, so this was a fun way to do something I like and feel useful at the same time. My shop is nowhere near the business I'd like it to be, but it's been a great learning experience so far.

What is your favorite Etsy shop?

Favorite Etsy shop? Impossible. There are so many incredibly talented people out there, I could never pick just one.

How has breast cancer affected you?
Until last year breast cancer never really affected me. No one in my family nor anyone I knew personally had had it. However in April my best friend had a mastectomy. I had no idea she had breast cancer or had bad it was. In December she was admitted into the oncology ward at the hospital. I still had no idea how bad it was. I stayed with her as long as I could each day and within five days she was gone. She had told only a few family members and one or two others about her ilness because she wanted everone to treat her the same as they always did; no pity, no tears. She came to terms with her illness and decided to spend her time celebrating life each and every day....So, how has it affected me? Well, I lost my best friend and I'll never have another. I will get a mammogram every year and be proactive with my health. There is so much more I could say, but the truth is I will never be the same. (see Lisa's tattoo honoring her dear friend at right)

Thank you so much!
HUGS,

Julie http://www.courageforkristi.etsy.com/

Etsy Shop Feature - dropmetal

Besides raising money to help Kristi's three young daughters, one of the greatest things about opening Courage for Kristi is meeting warm hearted and generous Etsy sellers...like Kacie and Micha of dropmetal! Please take a moment to read about how they started their shop and take a peek at their amazing creations.

Tell us about your shop.
Drop Metal was started by two designers with a strong passion for all things handmade, the simple country life, and creating unique products out of metal. Drawn together by overlapping creative fields, our goal is to reveal the true relationship with a product when quality is valued over quantity. When did you turn your hobby into a business?

We have both been crafting since we were old enough to have a curiosity about the world around us. We turned our hobby into a business in March 2011 - I quit my job in Seattle and moved to Tennessee to help Micah start this creative endeavor.How has breast cancer affected you?

I had a childhood friend who went through breast cancer when we were in middle school and I remember how hard it was for her and her family. Also, my college best friend's mother battled breast cancer while we were in school. She is one of the hardest working, most loving women I know - she has been a foster mother for over 30 years.

You can find other beautiful creations by this duo here:

www.dropmetal.com/

dropcloth.org/

Thank you so much for supporting our cause!
HUGS,

Julie http://www.courageforkristi.etsy.com/

Etsy Shop Feature - Home Shop Creations

I am so happy to introduce you to a wonderful Etsian who has so thoughtfully donated to the Courage for Kristi fundraiser: Bill of HomeShopCreations. Bill so kindly offered to donate one of his handcrafted pens after I featured his item in a Breast Cancer Awareness Treasury. How sweet! Please read on to learn about Bill and his wonderful shop.
How long have you been crafting?
I have been directly involved in the hands-on of lathe turning and penmaking for about 18 months now. I had to take an early retirement from my job of 33 years, and finding this craft really fit the bill to better utilize my time. I am totally infatuated by this craft. I did start out by making and gifting pens and other items to family and friends, but the requests from others "outside the circle" made me turn to selling my wares. My biggest thrill is creating a pen from something original or sentimental like family trees, or even waist belts to make laminated leather pens.

What is your favorite Etsy shop?
My favorite shop is Skyspirit8. That wonderful lady named Deb hand paints various glassware and creates some of the most beautiful pieces of art I have seen. I connected with her because I supply her with some of her special bottles.

How has Breast Cancer affected you?
As far as how Breast Cancer has affecting me, the saddest part is that this terrible disease is so widespread, that it seems to touch every family in some way. My wife and I have lost many wonderful women to this disease, and I am always in awe of the courage these women display. Occasionally, some of the lucky ladies beat the cancer, but more often than not, they don't. I try to do whatever I can to help defeat this disease.

Thank you so much for your generous donation!
Hugs,
Julie http://www.courageforkristi.etsy.com/

Etsy Shop Feature - SweetVegan

I am very excited to introduce a new contributor to the Courage for Kristi shop - Sweet Vegan. I think pictures ARE better than words when it comes to these products. YUM. Please take a moment to learn a little more about Kim and her delectable creations.

How long have you been crafting?

So many years now that I don't really remember when I just know that I started at an early age with my mother sewing, but especially baking. As I became older I fell in love with floral arranging artificial, dried and fresh flowers.

When did you turn your hobby into a business?

In 2008 I opened my own flower shop and decided I need an online presence for my silks. That is when I found Etsy and I haven't looked back since. Then in January of this year I started Sweet Vegan Delight which brought me back to one of my earlier passions, baking.

What is your favorite Etsy shop?

Favorite? Just one? I can't pick just one so I will give you a few...
Love For Earth - Awesome re-useable bags that I use every day and my produce bags I so Love, perfect at the grocery store!

One Clay Bead - I can look so long and often at all the wonderful pieces. One day I will get to buy something :D www.etsy.com/shop/OneClayBead
Teaman - Such a great variety of hand blended teas, I always come back for more. www.etsy.com/shop/teaman

How has Breast Cancer affected your life?

Most people know someone that has been affected by cancer, not just breast, including me, so I support them all. Anytime I can donate (grocery store, event, etc.) I do because I've lost many friends and family to all different types of cancer. They all need our support in finding a cure!

Thank you Kim for your wonderful donation!!
HUGS,
Julie http://www.courageforkristi.etsy.com/

Etsy Shop Feature - Mynski and Libelle too

A HUGE thank you to Mynski & Libelle Too of Etsy for the wonderful donation to Courage for Kristi! Britt's lovely creations were a big hit last year and I know they will be again this year! Please take a moment and learn a little bit more about this wonderful Etsy artist!

How long have you been crafting?
I've been crafting since I was really young. I remember begging to go to the craft stores instead of the toy stores when I was little.

When did you turn your hobby into a business?
My crafting became a business when I lost my job in June 2010. I opened my first Etsy shop to sell my handmade jewelry and photography prints. Photography has been an obsession for me just as long as crafting has. From there I have expanded to 2 shops for my various wares.

What is your favorite Etsy shop?
There are so many awesome shops on Etsy it's hard to pick a favorite. I think Jude McConkey's shop is great. I found her shop when I first joined Etsy and was checking out the photo competition. I love her moody, sort of creepy images. She's a very talented artist.www.etsy.com/shop/judemcconkey
How has Breast Cancer affected your life?
I have been very fortunate not to have had too many close friends or relatives who have had Breast Cancer, but I do know many people who have. My best friend's mother had a double mastectomy a few years ago, and tomorrow she goes for a biopsy for a very rare, very aggressive form of cancer that attacks the tailbone or base of the skull. She and her family have already been through so much it's hard to see them go through this too.

I donate to Courage For Kristi because I have seen how much families suffer when a loved one is diagnosed with any cancer. Kristi's girls deserve to know that her life mattered to many people, and they deserve to have the best life they can in her abscence. I think the college funds that will come from the proceeds are a great way to acomplish those things.

Thank you so much Britt for all of your support!!! Your generousity is amazing!
HUGS,
Julie