So excited to kick off the handmade holiday season around here by introducing Erin of ekate designs & the Orchard Art House. Based in Excelsior MN, Erin is an amazingly talented jewelry maker, designer, and wife + mother to a sweet little girl. (Aren't they the most darling family you've ever seen?) I am so honored that she has agreed to be a part of the festivities around here. Her jewelry pieces are loved by locals, inspired by faraway places, and destined to be wrapped beneath your Christmas tree.
*****Three chances to enter & win:
1. Visit ekate designs and leave a comment telling your favorite piece.
2. Spread the word by sharing a link to this giveaway on your own blog, twitter, or facebook. Leave a separate comment if you did.
3. Leave an additional comment sharing any handmade holiday project/ideas you may have brewing...
Do all 3 to triple your odds of winning! The lucky commenter will be randomly selected and announced on Friday 11/12.
*****
Now onto the best part,Q|A with Erin:
1. How long have you been making jewelry and how did you get your start?
I started just like the rest of the world with friendship bracelets and seed beads. But I kept on going. My parents took note of my prolific creations and the apparent joy it brought me and found a silversmithing apprenticeship for me when I was 14. I've always made jewelry on the side for weddings, gifts, and holiday open houses. But just started creating full time a year ago.
2. Describe your perfect day.
Oooh, that's a toughie. I'm pretty easy to please. I really enjoy time with my immediate family and family of origin. Any time everyone agrees to come out to our place for a long day together, I'm in heaven. Especially when there's music.
3. What inspires you most?
Creation. The Creator. The brevity of life. And my insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
4. Where can we find more of your work?
My current Twin Cities locations include:
Picky Girl in St. Paul
Parc Boutique and I Like You in Minneapolis
Petunia's, Cottage Chicks, and Mama's Happy around the Lake Minnetonka area
BUT! The very best place to find all things ekate is The Orchard Art House, which I just opened on September 25!
5. Congrats on turning your business into a brick & mortar shop! What was the hardest part about taking this step?
The hardest part was coordinating all the fabulous local artists/art that I wanted to include. But it was really rewarding too. The whole process could have been a lot harder, but I married my best friend and biggest fan. He gave me the gallery/studio as a 30th birthday gift and sacrificed a lot to make it everything I wanted.
The Lyric Love Necklace is just great. My favorite!
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of making some monster claw stockings for the holidays this year. I like my holidays to have a little twist to them.
ReplyDeleteI love those necklaces with the names on them - "mod moms 4 charm necklace" - I've been looking for something like that but wanted one that wasn't too sweet and perfect. This one is great.
ReplyDeleteso totally in love with her beautiful jewelry designs! So amazing! she certainly has an amazing shop!!
ReplyDeleteI really like her Forest Fairy Necklace. Such pretty items!
ReplyDeleteI really want to make the snowstorm tutorial that I featured on my blog. All it takes is dental floss and round white stickers!
ReplyDeletei want to get started on making an advent calendar for the kids...i only have a few weeks before it needs to be done! eeek!
ReplyDeleteoh wow, so much awesome stuff in her shop. i must say, i absolutely adore the lyrical love necklaces. i know what i would put on one of those!
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite pieces are the girl in the wind/the girl with umbrella pieces.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to shop by some of these shops.
LOVE "Mod Moms 4-Charm Necklace" my mum would cry if she got this for Christmas. It's gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of making a few scarves for gifts, though they take me a *LONG* time, I love giving a gift I made with my own hands.
ReplyDeleteI love all of the vintage necklaces.
ReplyDeleteHow to pick just one favorite?! They are all so gorgeous... I love the Mod Moms necklace.
ReplyDeleteHere's a project I'm doing as a ladies' crafternoon at my house: Book pocket advent calendars. Each person brings a piece of posterboard, and I supply book pockets (the kind from the back of library books- they're super cheap and they're self-adhesive). Each person sticks 24 pockets to their posterboard and then decorates it as they like. They then fill each pocket with something small, and give it to a lucky recipient who will open one pocket each day from Dec. 1 to Dec. 24.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of making some christmas ornaments to give to my friends.
ReplyDeleteI love the "What Goes Around Comes Around" necklace, as well as the "Local is Lovely" map necklaces!
ReplyDeleteI'm sewing my mom a table runner with a hand-embroidered quote on it as part of her Christmas gift!
ReplyDeleteWow! What a generous giveaway! I really love the Mom's charm necklaces!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the introduction to this beautiful shop! The "Flight Necklace" is hands down my favorite! The necklace is going on my wishlist... and the shop on my bookmarks. :)
ReplyDeleteI will be making holiday cards, gift tags and bows, all to cure my crafty cravings this time of year!
ReplyDeletei have been drooling most over ekate's vintage map necklaces combined with a few extra charms. but i'd also love to be generous and give away some mod mom necklaces to my sisters for christmas.
ReplyDeletei posted this giveaway on facebook.
ReplyDeleteAND (i want three times the chances to win) my creation waiting in the wings is a circle scarf i've been meaning to knit for a good friend. it's belated since her birthday was last month.
ReplyDeleteI am currently knitting a manly scarf for my boyfriend for Christmas. It's black with a subtle herringbone pattern. Hopefully I will finish by Christmas. By the way, I'm totally with you on the "handmade holiday", it means so much more! =)
ReplyDeleteI love the copper and lace necklace, so pretty!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I blogged about your giveaway!
I love them all!! you are so talented!! but if i had to choose i guess it would be the vintage shoes of course!! LOVE THEM!!
ReplyDeleteI am totally sharing this and what you do with everyone i know!!! YEAH!!
ReplyDeleteAs to what I have brewing in my creative closet for this year...that would be holiday faux flower arrangements and designing a clothing line!!
ReplyDeleteI love the "All is Full of Love" necklace! Lots of lovely things.
ReplyDeleteI saw this wreath the other day that looks like a lot of fun to make!
ReplyDeletehttp://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/11/guest-project-make-gorgeous-yarn-ball.html
It's hard to pick a favorite, but for the moment I would say the 'All is fll of Love'necklace
ReplyDeleteWeaving fuzzy scarves in my random spare time as potential holiday gifts. It's fun!
ReplyDeleteIt may be too late but just found out how to make prickly pear syrup and would love to make some for christmas gifts.
ReplyDeleteI like the travelogue coin necklace- makes me wonder where my Spanish peseta necklace ran off to.
ReplyDeleteSeize the day? yes please, thank you. The vibrant colors may get me through the upcoming daily dose of gray.
ReplyDeleteOn my holiday craft to-do list...a table runner for my table scape...and more feather christmas tress a*la Martha Stewart! The project is a tad messy ::read feathers EvErYwHeRe:: but worth it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.marthastewart.com/article/feather-tree
I adore that copper and lace necklace!
ReplyDeleteI;m planning on making a few of these poinsettia pillows. They look so fun. http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2009/11/a-dash-of-panache-poinsettia-pillows/
ReplyDeleteI love the Girl in the Wind charm. sweet.
ReplyDeletei really want to finger knit some garland to have around my home. i did some last year and it was really lovely. maybe instead of filling a bowl with ornaments i'll fill it with finger knitting strands. now you've got me in the mood to pull out the decorations.
ReplyDeletethe mod moms necklaces are great - so are the migration pieces
ReplyDeletei'm knitting up some fingerless mittens, and sewing some kids costumes
ReplyDeleteSo many great items, but I have to say that the "Mod Moms 4-Charm Necklace" is my favorite. I've been craving one for a while now and really like the look of this one. And I'll be needing that 3rd little charm pretty soon. :)
ReplyDeleteMy Christmas crafting list goes like this:
ReplyDelete-embroidered tea cozy for mum
-apron and potholder for MIL
-advent calendar for the girls
-full-size quilt for lil sister (who's birthday happens to be on Christmas)
-photo books for each set of grandparents and great-grandmother.
Must. Get. Busy.
the Frederica Fox Sweater Dress is adorable! omydarlingblog(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMy favorite piece is the Lyric Love necklace! Genius!
ReplyDeleteShared the link on my Facebook - in case anyone has been wondering what to get me for Christmas ;)
ReplyDeleteMy handmade goal for the holidays: get my own Etsy shop up and running! I've started making fabric-on-paper personalized greeting cards... now I just need to make the time.
ReplyDeleteblogged!
ReplyDeleteI love the Lyric Love Necklace what a great idea! My latest project:turning a old christmas book in to a fire place art piece!
ReplyDeleteShared the link on my page! =)
ReplyDeleteFacebooked it!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Your blog is getting so popular!
Local is Lovely is so cool! I love that idea.
ReplyDeleteRemembering how fun and inexpensive crafts can be as I think about things we made as kids. I am going to use the large Martha Stewart craft punches to make ornaments out of card stock and glitter!
ReplyDeleteLove the stamped necklaces!
ReplyDelete