So, DesireLines… may I call you DL?

Hahaha…well, if you insist- though you can just call me Ryan if you want. I was going to say that’s what everyone calls me, but…erm…that would be a lie… And, no, I don’t think it would make family friendly reading if I told you!

Let’s start off with a very simple question: how did you acquire your shop name?

I thought long and hard about it for ages- I wanted something that would suit me forever, so I could build a brand with it. Then I came across this name- it’s an ordnance survey term for the wavy, meandering lines that people create in public spaces when they don’t follow the paths set out by the planner. These wandering paths are known as Desire Lines and I liked that it suggested going your own way, making your own decisions and not necessarily going the expected way. Also, at the time I was working on some work about sexual psychology and paraphilias and I liked that it sounded faintly seedy and a bit like a sex chat line Read More

As part of the kickoff of the monthly featured artisan feature, I am happy to bring you the second featured artisan: Sarah of Small Shiny Objects. Sarah creates beaded jewelry and other beaded gifts that she describes as ‘comfortable elegance.’ In Small Shiny Objects you will find necklaces, earrings, bracelets, crystal suncatchers and a couple of crafts from her little girl Laura! Most of her jewelry is made with a combination of semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals, czech glass beads, and silver or gold-filled wire.  The occasional vintage piece makes it in there as well, when it suits her fancy. While she does not have a blog, she is frequently on the Etsy forums!

Now let’s see how Sarah responds to this month’s 20 Questions!

Sarah’s 20 Questions:

Let’s start at the beginning. What is your earliest crafting memory?  
My mother and grandmother would always find something to do with the materials we had at hand, whether it was crafting dolls out of wooden clothespins and cloth scraps, or cutting out ornaments from old wallpaper samples.  It was always something new! Read More

This month, in order to kick off the recurring Featured Artisan, we will be having two! First up is Jessica of Liebling, a talented artisan who designs handcrafted jewelry. Self-described as eclectic and feminine with a uniquely modern twist, Jessica fills her shop with a blend of her personal styles. Finding inspiration in everything from romance and the Victorian era to architecture and design, Jessica also likes to make pieces that are fun and playful!

Now, let’s cut to the chase and pose our monthly 20 Questions to Jessica!

Jessica’s 20 Questions:

Let’s start at the beginning. What is your earliest crafting memory?
I’ve been crafting my whole life. My earliest memories are that of being a little girl and making handmade Christmas ornaments with my mom, the kind that you arrange all the little glass pieces in a frame and then use your oven as a kiln to melt the glass and create an ornament. I still have them all. My mom and I were always doing projects together. Read More