Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Artist Spotlight

One of the things I love most about the Kansas City Etsy Street Team is the diversity of the artists within the team. Not only are we from all over the Metro area and beyond, but the members are hugely talented and widely diverse in their creative talents and abilities.

In the weeks leading up to our First Friday’s “Everyone Needs A Little heART!” Show in February at Shiraz Restaurant in the Crossroads District, we will be giving you a special look inside the team, introducing many of the talented men and women who will show their amazing handmade wares at the show.

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When you talk to Barb of bbesigns, about how she got started, she’ll tell you she’s always loved making things with her hands. Like many artistic people with a love of creating, she’s ventured into many different areas, everything from jewelry making to wall hangings to mosaic. So it’s no surprise to learn that Barb has a degree in design from the Kansas City Art Institute.

Barb’s current focus is on card making. “I like making paper from recycled materials and doing small water colors” she said. Each of Barb’s special occasion cards, available in her Etsy shop and also at Becoming Nana in Brookside, are made using her special handmade papers and small watercolors. When you send one of Barb’s cards, you are really sending a small piece of original art.

What does Barb have in the works for the upcoming First Friday’s “Everyone Needs a Little heART“ show? “Right now I am making extras of the lines I have and will possibly add gift tags and invites to my inventory. I really like making personalized cards which can be challenging to do ahead, but I will need to do that for the show.”


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Shelli of MondeDesign, grew up around amazingly talented women who were experts when it came to using a sewing machine and fabric. But it wasn’t until Shelli started her own family that she decided to follow in her mother and grandmothers footsteps. She convinced her husband to get her a sewing machine for her birthday and “that was it for me!” And when you look through Shelli’s offerings it is obvious sewing is in her blood.

MondeDesign specializes in custom sewing and machine embroidery focusing on personalized custom made accessories for weddings and children. Wedding dress labels, pillows, purses, clutches, favors, and her newest offering, garters, are just a few of the many items Shelli offers to make your wedding unique and memorable. While weddings are by far the largest portion of Shelli’s business, she’s quick to admit that most fun things to make are for little girls. “Anything you can put their name on, they just think is the coolest thing ever!” Hair accessories, dance accessories, aprons, altered clothing, baby burp cloths and many more! But Shelli’s favorite item to make, “purses for little girls—little versions of grown up purses are the best.”


**Posted by tinystitches.

1 comment:

BBesigns said...

Kathleen

Thank you for doing the write up. You did a great job. Better then anything I could write.