FEATURED ETSY SHOP - MISS KARINA'S NEW ORLEANS FASHION DESIGN

COLORFUL - MARDI BRA

If you are looking for the unusual, colorful, unique....be sure to visit MISS KARINA out on Etsy. Here you will find many colorful outfits such as the mardi bra shown above, skirts made from ties and T-shirts, and a lot more. Here Karina will share some of her thoughts and ideas with us. I also took a portion of her Etsy profile to put out here to give you a better insight into what makes Karina tick.

"I have been professionally designing costume and fashion in New Orleans, Louisiana for five years. I have been lucky to have costumed Kings and Queens of Mardi Gras, including myself as Queen of OAK 2006. I am also the proud Mother Shucker of the Bearded Oysters all female dance troupe featuring over 150 members. In 2005, I became the founding member of the New Orleans Fashion Collaborative. My work has been in countless television shows and several films, Mardi Gras parades and balls, sporting events across the country and almost everywhere people are gathered to have fun."

What led you to start creating your art/craft?

Originally, as a preteen, I started sewing so that I could have the slutty 1980s styles that my parents wouldn't buy me. Red spandex was a really easy material to work with back then. I made little tube tops that doubled as miniskirts. My creations evolved from there. Moving to New Orleans 6 years ago really got me going with all the music, Carnival, and Burlesque. There I started creating all sorts of costumes which led to my own 125 women strong parading burlesque troupe, "The Bearded Oysters." Yes, we do have beards. In addition to being inspired by Carnival festivities I am also inspired to create everyday apparel that is ECO-friendly and made from recycled materials.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I haven't really decided completely yet. I love fashion because you get to wear it out and get feedback. I also love fashion because you can change how people react to you based on what you wear. Essentially its like creating your own world. Do you want people to smile when they see you? Do you want them to leave you alone? Do you want them to hire you? As a secretary? As a stripper? Do you want them to fear you? Do you want them to lust for you?

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

The whole process really. I love the moments of inspiration, I love shopping for fabrics, I love sewing, I love selling.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?

Dragonfruit: Its all crazy looking on the outside and sweet on the inside.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?

Currently, I am spending a year travelling through Korea, Japan, and Thailand teaching English. I am 1000's of miles from my sewing machine so in this time I have taken up photography. I feel that my sense of design and humor is brought into my photography. I like digital photography because it is instant gratification with no mess, and it hardly takes up any space... totally unlike sewing. Perhaps when I get home these photographs will become the inspiration for my next fashion collection.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

Eco-Sexy-Happy-Funtime-Girl!

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

"The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation" -Mark Twain

Thanks, Karina for sharing your ideas and designs with us. I'm sure you will always be coming up with many more creative designs! If you'd like to see how Karina designs her "mardi bras"...click on the link below, which shows a video.

KARINA ON YOU TUBE

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - FABULOUS PANTS by Amy Linder

Welcome, Amy Lindner, who has a shop called FABULOUS PANTS out on Etsy. I always find it so much fun to see all the different types of work out on Etsy, and love to hear what each and everyone of the artists or crafters have to say about what motivates them and how they got started. These pants look like a lot of fun to wear!

Read below, to hear in Amy's own words, how FABULOUS PANTS came into being!

What led you to start creating your art or craft?

I began sewing in 1997, when I joined the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society. I needed costumes, so one of the members of the group taught me how to use a sewing machine. Soon after, I started bellydancing, and I needed even more costumes. Eventually the hot summers of Illinois were too much for me when I was dancing in the studio. I wanted to have some sort of pants that I could not only wear for dancing that were lighter than sweatpants, but also more stylish. Our troupe would go out for drinks or dinners after studio sessions, and I hated having to lug a gigantic bag of clothing changes with me so that I could go from one venue to the other. Also, my closets were starting to overflow with costume pieces I could only wear in specific locations. I decided to research different world pants and see if I could find a solution to my problems. I found a Balinese and Indonesian design of wrap pants that needed a bit of tweaking, but eventually they really hit the mark. From there I started branching out into more bellydance clothing as well as other clothing and craft items.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I decided to pick luxurious sari and brocade fabrics that would look good not only for dance practice and performance, but could also be worn to dinner parties, concerts, weddings, and basically anyplace I wanted. As an added plus they were great conversation starters for different social situations. I always look for high quality fabrics with great luster and texture. Soon, though, I may branch out into a less expensive line that are cotton based fabrics.

What aspect of creating your art or craft do you find the most enjoyable?

I love all parts of making my pants and costume pieces. Fabric hunting is probably my most favorite part. Nothing is more enjoyable to me than looking though fabric shops and sari shops and finding that perfect piece of cloth. I also really like sitting at the machine and watching all the pieces come together. You usually have an idea of what the finished pairs of pants or top are going to look like, but sometimes it turns out even more stunning that you originally thought it would. I love it when that happens!

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art or craft?

I would like to have people feel beautiful and confident by wearing my creations. I try to make my clothing one size fits most, that way most people are not limited to select pieces. There is nothing worse to me than going to a store and finding something I really want that does not come in my size. That is one of the other great things about the pants design, even if you yo-yo in weight, you can still keep the pants around. They are fully adjustable to your current size up to a waist of 45 inches. I also want to convey the idea of trying to have fewer items that serve multiple purposes. I love multipurpose clothing.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

Being pretty new to the Etsy world and the idea of selling my items, I am not sure that I have too much advice yet. I always did this before because I enjoyed making items, but I finally took the plunge to sell items when friends and family encouraged me to. I would say that if you really love it, want to do it, and believe in your product, you should go for it.

Thanks, Amy, for taking the time to share your work and thoughts. Love the pants! Be sure to visit FABULOUS PANTS by clicking on any of the photos below, to go directly to that item in Amy's shop or click on the link below the photos to go to her shop. Also, visit Amy's other links below.

CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO VISIT AMY'S OTHER SITES

BLOG
LIVE JOURNAL
WEB PAGE

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - FAIRY NANA a.k.a Eve Reddin Lennon

Now, doesn't this delightful, exquisite fairy outfit just make you wish you could be a fairy and flit around in it....! It did me!! I met FAIRY NANA when she sent me a convo, expressing how much she loved one of my fairies in my DZFANTASY shop. Well I just had to take a look at her shop, and was in awe when I saw her delightful creations!! Each one is more exquisite than the next one. Now if I were a fairy, I'd have to have at least several of these gorgeous creations.
I'm so happy FAIRY NANA agreed to take the time to tell us about herself, her creations, and what got her started. Please read below to hear, in FAIRY NANA's own words what she has to say.

What led you to start creating your art?

It was the “silver Lining” following a stroke. ( I have CNS Lupus) I’d lost the fine motor skills in my right hand, and a physical therapist gave me a stack of felt square ,a large needle and thread, telling me my homework was to sew lines across each piece. I told her I couldn’t sew, but she insisted, so eventually I managed. It soon became boring, so I moved on to felt flowers at which point my granddaughter requested a princess skirt for her birthday party. YIKES! Eventually I managed a rudimentary tulle princess skirt for her, but I kept working on princess and fairy skirts until I felt they were “good enough” to pass muster. I ended up donating them to the Make A Wish Foundation – something I continue doing every month.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I didn’t really. I had already been a painter and lost the ability with a series of strokes. Sewing and the medium of fabric came after I had to “reinvent” myself.

What aspect of creating your art do you find the most enjoyable?

There are many – but perhaps the most precious is that I know that once someone puts my finished costume on – no matter what troubles she may have been dealing with, and no matter how she may have been feeling about herself, she will twirl around and feel beautiful , empowered, special, and absolutely as if she can make something magical happen in her life. It is almost as if I can impart a little bit of the feeling of “anything is possible” through a simple costume. I have no idea why – but when someone puts on one of these costumes they ALWAYS smile!!!!

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art?

That every girl – no matter what her age and no matter what is going on in her life – she is wonderful, unique, and beautiful – and that there is tremendous power in that.

What advice do you have for other artists?

Be true to yourself….and respect others as well as yourself.

Thank you FAIRY NANA, for not only creating such beautiful costumes which bring joy into the lives of others, but for taking the time to share your wonderful thoughts out here!! Be sure to visit FAIRY NANA's Etsy shop, to see more of her exquisite creations. Either click on the photo to go directly to that item in her shop, or click on the FAIRY NANA link below the photos. You won't be disappointed!

Strawberry Faery - Princess

Costume Child 3 -6