Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas from the Peppermint Creek Collective!!!
Hope you all have a beautiful day with your friends and families.

Cant view it? Click here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae9PradipHg

Brenda Weiler and Peppermint Creek Collective - Winter 2015

Brenda Weiler has been one of my favorite musicians since I was in film school in the 90s. I'm so excited to bring her music and the talented women of Peppermint Creek Collective together in this video to wish you a beautiful winter.

After the loss of her sister ten years ago to suicide, Brenda has been a supporter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Please check out their website at http://www.afsp.org to learn more about suicide prevention or donate.

And as always, please consider supporting a woman in the arts this year and adding a little more beauty to your life.

Brendas music can be purchased on her website www.brendaweiler.com or itunes.
Check out the Peppermint Creek Collective team on etsy here: https://www.etsy.com/teams/20750/peppermint-creek-collective/members

Have a Beautiful Winter!
Tiffany Dawn Smith
Peppermint Creek Collective

Peppermint Creek Collective - Christmas

Our First Christmas Video.

If you can not view it here, please click here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8D5GbdSiCc

Thanksgiving Goodies from Peppermint Creek Collective

Come get some fantastic goodies for your thanksgiving celebration at Peppermint Creek Collective!

If you can not view the video above, check it out on youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIDesurO5WM

Meryl Streep on the way home from Audition

A great reminder from Meryl Streep on knowing what our worth is.

The photo reads:

'This was me on my way home from an audition for King Kong where I was told I was too "ugly" for the part. This was a pivotal moment for me,' the image is captioned, as though it was written by Meryl herself. 'This one rogue opinion could derail my dreams of becoming an actress or force me to pull myself up by the boot straps and believe in myself. I took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry you think I'm too ugly for your film but you're just one opinion in a sea of thousands and I'm off to find a kinder tide. Today I have 18 Academy Awards.'

While her actual words may have been embellished by writers on the web (the actual story has a man calling her ugly in italian when brought in to audition for a movie) her life has proven that no ones opinion of her would ever define her. Good on you Meryl Streep for going after your dreams and knowing WHO you are!

#MerylStreep #beauty #actress #peppermintcreekcollective #hollywood #beautymyth #feminism

Happy Autumn from the Artists of Peppermint Creek Collective.

We're back!

Hi friends! We are back and up and running once again. Check us out tomorrow for an exciting new announcement from Peppermint Creek Collective.

La Solis

Lastenia, Jewelry Designer

Umbrella Earrings

PCC: Tell us a little about yourself.

LS: I am Lastenia , a crafty mother and furniture consultant, a dreamy girl who is passionate about the small details of daily life, I love to create things and devote spaces with an original twist.
My son has been coming with me on this adventure of life every day for 14 years and gives the magic touch to my existence ...
We live in a beautiful place located in a small town in the west of Austria, with two very naughty cats.

PCC: What do you create?

LS: My creations are outstanding, irregular, and singular, and have a unique charm, I make jewelry pieces for people who like to be different.
Each Piece has its own personality and they are all made with lots of energy, love and passion.
I make silver wire jewelry, mostly wrapped.
To do these pieces, I use materials that I find when I go out for a walk in the woods or the mountains, or bring something home from a trip, mostly beach-stones or shells and other magical things I am attracted to. I also use gemstones and polymer clay.

PCC: What made you want to become an artist/fall in love with your craft?

Spiral Drop Earrings

LS: I was lucky to grow up in a family of people who love life and nature, with much love and dedication to craft and work.
At an early age I discovered that my hands can feel and express emotions through the materials that are available to me in nature. The colors, the flowers, the sun, the moon - everything is like music to my eyes and inspiration for my hands.
The peace I feel when I'm doing a project is what gives me the certainty to continue doing so.


PCC: Tell us about your process. What materials do you use?

Designing

LS: To do my creations I usually use materials that I find in nature. I really like strange fusions, so I try to combine materials in pure or rustic style with details like river painted natural stones, gorgeous beach stones and shells, gems or polymer clay. I combine them myself with wire.
My favorite material is silver or copper wire. I most like the ease with which it can be molded and woven to give each piece a finish with an intense delicacy.

I am a spiritual person and believe in things like energy and love, so I look that fire, earth, water and air are always present in my creations, to form an original and unique magic.


PCC: Where do you sell your jewelry?

Spiral Drop Earrings

LS: I present my creations at weekly markets and am also dedicated to making custom creations for private customers and friends.
It was my family and friends who encouraged me to take a look at etsy, where I found an even more interesting way to open up to a lot more people.
My growth process is a little bit slow right now, but I have faith that everything will be okay. I started a couple of months with no idea how my small business would be, but etsy is giving me very good results, a lot more than I imagined ...

PCC: What are you passionate about outside of your art?

Silver and Amethyst Necklace

LS: I love simple things in life, I like to have breakfast with my son and talk about deep subjects for hours. I love gardening, mountains, sunsets, board games, good songs, our fireplace, cats, bikes, hiking, and being surrounded by people that warm my heart and put a smile on my face.
I would also like to travel around the world and see what else is out there: magic places, lovely people and many cultures.

PCC: Anything else we should know?

LS: Life is a wonderful gift, which is even better if you use your time on something creative and cultivate your skills in whatever you enjoy doing.

Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by my site !!


PCC: Links to shops, blogs, social media, etc.

www.etsy.com/shop/LaSolis

www.pinterest.com/lasteniasolis/

www.facebook.com/handmadebylasolis


More Jewelry from La Solis that we love.

Spiral Turquoise Earrings

Silver and Coral Necklace

Spiral Necklace

Triangle Jade Earrings

Silver and Carnelian Necklace

Native Earrings

Beach Stone Jewelry

All designs are the property of La Solis and may not be copied.

Lookin for Light

Mandy Tucker, Photographer

Wild Tree Secrets

PCC: Tell us a little about yourself. 
LFL: I have taught high school visual arts for 20 years, specifically Photography and Advanced Placement Art History. I earned my BFA in Photography, worked in various realms (portrait/retouching/commercial/fine art gallery) of the photo industry, before deciding to back to school to earn my teaching credential.


PCC: What do you create?
LFL: I create photo-based art. I love to experiment with mixed media. I also enjoy ceramics, learning to quilt, jewelry making, and drawing.

PCC: What made you want to become an artist?
LFL: I think I was born an artist. It just takes a lifetime to evolve into who we are meant to be.

PCC: Tell us about your process. What materials do you use?

Path to the Sunset

LFL: My process is ongoing… meaning I first try to be an observer of my environment as well as attentive to what is going on in the world. I try to continually learn. Many "things" interest and influence my creative process. I try to keep notes, and ongoing lists regarding idea seeds that I can go to when I have any opportunity. I also walk a lot--so I'm always looking, especially at trees and light (haha--sounds funny I know), but I am truly drawn to tree forms, textures, lines and leaves as well. I am also very conscious of light. Most often when I have captured an image that I am excited about, I immediately edit in PhotoShop which often leads in many different directions including montages and mandalas… I use my iPhone, canon 6D, go pro, film camera---whatever gets my idea realized.



PCC: What Advice would you give to someone who wanted to make a living as an artist? 

Tree Writhing in Waves

LFL: In terms of making a living as an artist I think one has to be practical along with being wildly creative---and an extremely hard and smart worker. I guide my students to get an art education first---master the craft, which usually means lifelong education. Practical skills are also necessary in order to pay the bills: record keeping, business knowledge, customer service, marketing, tech skills and social media. I don't think I am far enough into my etsy business to guide as an authority. I have the luxury of an art teaching job to pay my bills, while I wade through the waters of etsy. I can see it has great potential, but like most things it takes education in your area of expertise, perseverance---strong work ethic, and eagerness to learn from people who are successful---and it's dynamic, constantly changing, so to be successful one must keep up the pace and not be fearful to dive in.

Endless View from Cape Perpetua II

PCC: Tell us what you’re passionate about outside of your art?
LFL: I am super passionate about my abolitionist efforts---anti-human trafficking. I attempt to support International Justice Mission. It's hard for me to comprehend the injustices occurring in 2015 with an estimated 22 million humans enslaved! (Mandy donates 100% of all digital download proceeds to IJM.)
I also rescued two pups in June which has left me completely exhausted… along with being married (27 years) to a woodshop teacher (and high school sweetheart) with two beautiful daughters, a nurse and the younger one a senior in college to be a special education teacher.
Lastly, I have a little trailer that I love travel and camp comfortably!


Links:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Lookinforlight
www.lookinforlight.com
https://www.pinterest.com/lookinforlight/
http://instagram.com/lookinforlight63/

Other work from Lookin for Light that we love:

Journey Down a Country Road

The Bachelor and Three Graces

I learned from a Shadow of a Tree

Hope and Light

Tree Mandala

All images are the sole property of Mandy and Lookin for Light and may not be copied or used without her permission.

Summerwood Charm

Emily and John, Jewelry Designers

PCC: Tell us about yourself.

Chechen Wedding Band Set

SC: My name is Emily, and I am currently an English major at a University. Reading, writing, painting, and pyrography are some of my passions- aside from making jewelry of course!

PCC: What do you create?
SC: At Summerwood Charm, we make rings, necklaces, and bracelets that are hand fashioned from rare and exotic woods, precious metals, and semi-precious stones. Our jewelry is made from- and inspired by- nature!

PCC: What made you fall in love with your craft?
SC: I was in Ireland for my birthday just last year when John, my boyfriend, presented me with a ring that he had crafted all on his own. As we are both artists, we fell in love with the idea of starting a business together. It's amazing how a simple piece can capture the beauty of nature so wonderfully.

Deer Necklace

PCC: Tell us about your process/What materials do you use?
SC: Bentwood Rings are just that- thin layers of bent wood. Our necklaces are made from hardwood, and all of the inlay designs are hand-carved by myself. Malachite and blue Mother of Pearl are by far my favorite materials for inlay!




PCC: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to pursue making a living with their art?

Glow in the Dark "Butterfly Cacoon" Necklace

SC: Presentation is key, both online and off. Clear, flattering pictures will get someone such a long way! For online sales, it is imperative to have a full inventory. This way, you will be more easy to find and you will look more well established as an artist. Selling offline is a bit more tricky- make sure to have your pieces displayed nicely. For example, our Jewelry stand was always set in soft greens and browns to accentuate the pieces that we offered. If the goal is to get consignment offers in, try to dress professionally and have a detailed description of your product laid out for you before approaching a shop owner. Business cards are super important in this process. Most of all, don't get discouraged! No matter how great your product is, it will always take time to gain admirers- so enjoy the process and keep improving! 

Giraffe Necklace

PCC: Where else can people find your jewelry?
SC: Since we are college students, John and I primarily sell online. We do have our products in a few local stores- NEST in Berlin, Md. and Enza's in Salisbury, MD are among them. We used to have a display at our local Third Friday art events, but we've picked up on sales like crazy since, so we're usually just working on orders! 




PCC: What else do you love to do?
SC: I love fairytales and tea, and generally staying home to read! On occasion I play piano, but not as much as I used to. There are just too many things to do!

PCC: How can we find you?
www.etsy.com/shop/SummerwoodCharm
www.facebook.com/SummerwoodCharm


Other jewelry from Summerwood Charm that we love:

Fairie Lantern

Fern Ring

Maple Ring with Blue Mother of Pearl 

Lotus Necklace

Padauk and Mother of Pearl Ring

Don't Forget These Hearts on Valentines Day

Coffee Cozy
Prairie Loops

Confetti Hearts
Paul Farm

Heart Stud Earrings
Piggle and Pop

Custom Love Pillow
Creative Pillow

Love Sign
MRWorks

Valentines Ornaments
PrinceDesign UK

Heart Decoration
From AgaArtFactory 

Heart Die Cuts
TodoPapel

Cafe Amore
Tiffany Dawn Smith Photorgaphy

Davita

Jamie McCoy, Artist

PCC: Tell us a little about yourself.

Cupcake Topper with Plantable Seed Heart

JM: I'm from Iowa originally, but have moved a lot over the past decade or so, living also in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and now Missouri. I have Bachelor's Degrees in Neuroscience and Psychology, with a minor in Biology. I have a cat named Mike Gordon (Gordy for short) and feed two stray cats that I've named Lenin and Theobromine. 
PCC: What do you create?
JM: I am an artist and love to do many different types of art, but my favorite and most sustaining art form is papermaking. 

PCC: What made you want to become an artist?
JM: I've always considered myself a pretty creative person, but it wasn't until I was working at a very stressful job, specializing in social work, that I decided to sell the work that I did. I was really at the suggestion of my best friend, Amy, that I opened an Etsy shop for my papermaking. 

PCC: Tell us about your process. What materials do you use? 

Seed Bomb Pea Pods

JM: I used 100% post consumer waste paper scraps, such as junk mail and scraps from other artists' work to make paper. I also use beautiful wildflower seeds to make the paper plantable and for my seed bombs. 
I am the first Etsy seller to design the seed bomb pea pod favors. When you search now, many other sellers have tried to copy my work, but none has quite equaled to the quality that I've been able to offer. These are one of my favorite pieces of work. 


It's my custom orders for brides that I enjoy probably the most. Especially my plantable seed paper place cards. I take a lot of pride in creating work for customers' big day. 

Plantable Wedding Place Cards

I like the brightly colored seed bombs that you receive when you purchase my rainbow assorted seed bomb sets. 

Heart Seed Bomb in Cobalt Blue

This year I designed a wall sculpture out of my handmade paper in an attempt to demonstrate that not all fine art is paint to canvas, but can be made of many different other types of media. 

I made this for myself, but I just love this painting that I did a couple of years ago. Its spray paint on canvas and has my favorite Neil Young lyric, "Its better to burn out than fade away..." It turned out great and is one of my prized possessions. 


PCC: What Advice would you give to someone who wanted to make a living as 

Sprouted Seed Bomb

JM: I honestly believe that if you are passionate and if you treat something as your full time job (often more than full time), really focusing not just on the part of the job that you love, but also on the necessary evils like marketing and taxes (which are personally my least favorite tasks), with a little bit of luck, your hard work will pay off. It takes a lot of sacrifice, but in the end nothing in my life has been more worth the work. 

PCC: Tell us what you’re passionate about outside of your art?
JM: I am a huge live music fan. I travel a lot for music festivals and life rock concerts. Some of my favorite bands are Phish, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, and Trampled by Turtles. When I can, I go to music festivals like Wakarusa, Summer Camp Music Festival, and my favorite, the Great Blue Heron Music Festival. These are my sanctuaries, and really help me offset all of the hard work I do throughout the rest of the year. I'm also an avid animal lover and have been a vegetarian for 6 years. I have volunteered with animal rescue groups that transport animals across country and try to make visits to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY as often as possible. 

PCC: How do we find you? 
Etsy: www.davita.etsy.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/davitarecycledgoddess
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/DavitaRG
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DavitaRG
Instagram: www.instagram.com/davitaisart
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/davitaphotoart
Newsletter: www.tinyurl.com/davitanewsletter

Check out some of Davita's other cool items, beautiful ideas for Valentines, Mothers Day, Baby Showers, Earth Day, Birthdays, Weddings and any other time. I love these.

Plantable Butterfly Seed Favors

Plantable Favor Box

Plantable Peapods

Twins Plantable Peapods

Plantable Peapods

Wedding Placecards with Plantable Heart

Heart Confetti

Plantable Seed Paper Earth

Spourted Seed Bomb

Davita's Wildflowers in Bloom