Sunday Brunch Special: TADA BABY

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your indie business.
I’m a native New Yorker but currently live outside of Boston with my husband, my 3.5 year-old daughter Adelaide, my 8 month-old daughter Georgina and our dog Chewy. I have always enjoyed painting, photography, color…pretty much anything where I can be creative.

TADA BABY gives me the opportunity to do all of this! I create personalized canvas wall art that features babies and big kids. Digital artwork is first created on the computer incorporating the photograph of the child. It is then giclée printed with archival pigment inks on premium artist canvas. I stretch the canvas over a wooden frame and then areas are hand-painted with acrylic paint. The canvas is then sprayed with a finishing gloss to protect it. The result is an original piece of art that children will love as much as their parents do!

2. Where are you located?
Sherborn, MA. It is a small suburb of Boston, MA.

3. How did you come up with your business name?
My 3.5 year-old loves to say Ta-Da! when she does pretty much anything…writes her name, draws a picture, dresses herself, it’s always “Ta-Da! I did it.” When I completed my first canvas I was so excited. It was a realization that I had completed something unique and special…it was a true Ta-Da! moment for me.

When I decided to start selling my canvases and turn this into a business I thought, what could be a more fitting name than TADA BABY? 

I like it because it captures the fun and excitement of kids, which is really what the company is all about.

4. Where do you sell your products?
I sell my work through my website www.tadababy.com. Orders can be emailed to me at orders@tadababy.com. I also have an etsy shop: www.tadababy.etsy.com.

5. Do you belong to any local and/or web groups or affiliations?
I belong to a number of online forums. theswitchboards.com has been a great place to get a wealth of information from seasoned women entrepreneurs. I’m also fond of poshmama.com and belong to the EtsyKids street team.

6. What inspires you?
I have always been inspired by color. Everywhere I look I see blocks and patterns of color. Fabric is also a great inspiration for me as well as wallpaper. They both can have great color combinations and graphic designs.

7. Do you have any quirks or obsessions you care to share?
It’s embarrassing but I have an obsession with all things Star Wars. I don’t know where it comes from, but there you have it. Did I mention that my dog’s name is Chewbacca?

8. What’s your favorite childhood memory?
Climbing trees and swimming at the lake in New York where I used to go to camp every summer. I had the best carefree childhood!

9. What’s your favorite color?
Hot Pink. I can’t help myself!

10. What’s the most difficult aspect of running your biz?
By far the most difficult challenge for me has been balancing family time with the time it takes to run a successful business. I sometimes feel as though I’m spreading myself too thin, but I’m determined to be on more of a schedule and let family time be family time and work time be work time. I learned very quickly that you can’t do both simultaneously!

Ok, now these two are mandatory and I have to ask (this being a diner, after all)

1. What is your favorite meal?
Lobster with more lobster! Thank goodness I live in New England!

2. Do you prefer tea or coffee?
Coffee in any form…iced coffee, black coffee, coffee with steamed milk…I could go on!

Friday Fish Fry: Guppy Love

Cute pendant made using Japanese chiyogami(old-paper). Find it at gamiworks.

Thursday: Market tote

I've been eyeing this market tote lately as I really need a tote this size. I love the colors in this one and the fact that it's reversible! Find it at htNEVELE.

Wednesday: Darling Smock

What little sweetie wouldn't look adorable in this smock? Apples & pears on a chocolate background. Based on a classic 70's pattern. I just love it :) Find it at PINKDIXIE.

Tuesday: Monster journal

Having some bad dreams? Use this Nightmare Snatcher (tm) to write away all your worries, scares or frights. There's even a spell at the beginning of the journal to help rid you of those unwanted nightmares. Find it at The Spiderbite Boutique.

Monday: Darling little skirt

I love simple little skirts like this. And I love the colors & pattern in this one. Match it to a t-shirt and you have a sweet outfit for your little girl. Find it at gock's frocks.

Sunday Brunch Special: Whimsy by Jess

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your indie business.
My name is Jessica and I am a stay at home mom to my almost 3 year old son, with another sweet baby on the way (due in 4 weeks!!) I am constantly crafting and have been for as long as I can remember. As a young child my great-grand mother taught me to crochet and it kind of just stuck. I dabble in many different crafts, trying new things all the time and sticking with what I like.

I started my business as a way to do what I love, which is create imaginative, useful items with my hands, pass on these items to people who will enjoy and cherish them as much as I do, and, maybe even add a little extra income to what my husband contributes that makes it possible to stay home with my children.

2. Where are you located?
I am located in the California Bay Area. This is a wonderful place for artists and crafters, with so many resources near by! I have a number of yarn stores that I frequent, depending on the particular yarn I need and what each store carries. There are also many local groups and clubs for crafty types.

3. How did you come up with your business name?
I have really just always liked the word ‘whimsy’, and I really think that everything I create has a bit of whimsy to it.

4. Where do you sell your products?
I currently sell my products on Etsy at www.whimsybyjess.etsy.com

5. Do you belong to any local and/or web groups or affiliations?
I do belong to the local ‘craft mafia’ This group has been a great resource for meeting other crafty business people as well as finding local craft fairs and other marketing information. I highly recommend joining your local craft mafia!

6. What inspires you?
I get inspiration from so many places. My first and favorite place to look is nature. I love moss and leaves and anything green, really. I also look at things like fabric and scrapbook paper, I find some really interesting color combinations and designs from both.
I also love mythical movies like Lord of the Rings, and finding unique illustrations of fairies. From these I find inspiration for things to add to my creations, or ideas for different techniques to try.

7. When you’re not making things, what do you do?
When I’m not crafting I am usually playing with my son or cleaning my house ( an endless job!)

8. What’s your favorite color?
This has got to be the easiest question of all! Green! By far green is my Favorite color. I generally include green in every piece I create.

Ok, now these two are mandatory and I have to ask (this being a diner, after all)

1. What is your favorite meal?
This is a hard one, as I am pregnant and currently going in and out of cravings! My current meal craving is anything with guacamole, I’m a big fan of avocados!

2. Do you prefer tea or coffee?
Tea! I’m very into herbal tea at the moment. I’ve been drinking also of raspberry leaf tea, which is said to be a ‘uterine toner’, being due in 4 weeks this is a good thing for me!

Saturday: Snow Owl

We just saw a beautiful snow owl at the zoo the other day so when I saw this teeny tiny version, I just had to feature it! Measuring only 2" tall, he is sure to delight all who see him :) Find him at Blossom Hill Cottons.

Friday Fish Fry: Primitive earrings

I love the simplicity of these sterling silver primitive fish earrings. Find them at Silver Monk.

Thursday: Very cool notebooks

I love these notebooks! Gorgeous digitally manipulated photos are on the cover and inside are 20 assorted pages for all your doodling & writing goodness. Find them at modern printed matter.

Wednesday: Pumpkin earrings

I think these earrings look like little pumpkins. So it's the perfect time to wear them, right? Lovely marbled orange quartz combined with tiny Swarovski beads & brass findings. Yum! Find these darlings at k. deane designs.

Tuesday: Bike illustration

I love this illustration. An old gnarly tree and a bicycle drawn on a page from Huckleberry Finn. Fabulous! Find it at Pinky Brown.

Monday: Cute little coin pouch

This little pouch sure would be handy to have on your keychain to hold all those loose coins or maybe some mints or pills... It's just barely 2 inches square and SOOO adorable. Find it at Cotton & Cloud.

Sunday Brunch Special: Amber Fay

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your indie business.
My name is Amber Fay and I work full-time for a group of general surgeons. My life has come to a point where I need to make a change, although my job is very rewarding, it is now time for me to pursue my jewelry making business.

I create and sell photo tile pendants. They make unique and different gifts in the sense that they are handmade and use a special transfer process to create each piece. I use low fire clay and each image in resized and cropped and transferred to black and white where it is then baked onto the clay tile. The image actually becomes a part of the tile.

2. Where are you located?
Thousand Oaks, CA

3. How did you come up with your business name?
I could not think of a name, so everyone kept telling me to just use my own name, that it flowed rather nicely.

4. Where do you sell your products? www.amberfay.etsy.com.

5. Do you belong to any local and/or web groups or affiliations?
I belong to many jewelry making forums on Yahoo Groups.

6. What inspires you?
The desire to cut back working full-time and work part-time so that I can have a child and be the best mom I can be.

7. When you’re not making things, what do you do?
I work full-time for a group of general surgeons and when I come home, I spend time with my husband and 17 year old Papillion Gizmoe, my 2 Chihuahuas Cricket and Zoe, my black cat Gus and my Russian tortoise Max.

8. Do you ever get stumped for ideas? How do you work through it?
All the time, I usually have to take a break and walk away and then re- compose my thoughts and creative energy.

Ok, now these two are mandatory and I have to ask (this being a diner, after all)

1. What is your favorite meal? Vegetarian tacos

2. Do you prefer tea or coffee? Coffee

Saturday: Jungle Leaf pendant

Darling little polymer clay pendant featuring a leaf, set in a bamboo-edged setting. Find it at Green Leaf & Owl.

Friday Fish Fry: Head to the Ocean

Beautiful Thai Hill Tribe silver pendant stamped with fish & flowers is the focus of this necklace. Moonstone, new jade & amazonite add the gorgeous ocean colors. Find it at Spiral Stone.

Thursday: Neat-O cards

This set of four cards are a bit on the funky side. Created with baroque prints, photoshop and an imac, the end result is a fun montage of images. Find them at Enfin, La voila!.

Wednesday: Primrose Lime tote

I'm a big fan of Amy Butler fabrics. This bag was made with the new line called Nigella. It's a great size too, big enough to carry all you need but small enough so it doesn't become a bottomless pit. Find it at Julia Martinez Designs.

Tuesday: Eyeball pincushion

Ha! How funny is this? Now, Jen has some very lovely and pretty pincushions but I just HAD to feature this one as it cracked me up. Find it at Schmaltzy Craftsy.

Monday: Metallic Pink pouch

Wow! Is this ever cool! Shiny metallic pink pouch...perfect for cosmetics, credit cards or whatever. Find it at peep bags.

Sunday Brunch Special: Midnight Sky Fibers

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your indie business.
I started in January 2006 (when I was 19) as a natural progression of my love of knitting and crochet (I also weave, tat, and much more as well). My love of handspun lead me to want to share it- and my love of environmentalism- with other people. There aren't many other people out there making eco friendly yarn the way I do, using greywater, not many other people are naturally dying sock yarn either. So, my business is an extension of my lifestyle! It is vegetarian and eco friendly just like me.

2. Where are you located?
I am located in the lovely Pacific Northwest, which I am very lucky to live in- we are really green here, and I'm not just talking about the trees! I love that I can live in an area that has like-minded people, and a large knitting population!

3. How did you come up with your business name?
My business name was a screen name I have used since an early teen, so it seemed natural to incorporate it in to my business.

4. Where do you sell your products?
You can find my yarns and fibers at: www.MidnightskyFibers.com. You can also find a list of our wholesalers that carry our yarns there as well. You can also find us on etsy and eBay both as MidnightskyFibers. We also have a blog where we update our recent yarn as well as our crafty projects as Blog.MidnightskyFibers.com.

5. Do you belong to any local and/or web groups or affiliations?
A few, but college (just graduated with my BA after two years) has kept me busy.

6. What inspires you?
I absolutely love where I live! The pacific Northwest is so beautiful, full of wonderful, natural colors and so many different types of trees, fish, and so much more that that is probably where most of my inspiration comes from.

7. When you’re not making things, what do you do?
Does cooking count? My whole life revolves around making things, even if it isn't for my business. I make bread at least a couple times a week, and try to cook quite a bit from scratch. Most of my hobbies are also craft related as well- sewing, knitting, tatting, weaving, and the like.

8. Have any marketing or business tips you’d like to share?
I think the biggest thing people tend to forget is that they are not anonymous on the internet. Never forget that. You want to be able to say, "Yea I totally am [that person on the forum]", not, "O, you heard about that too?". It's really the 7-11 rule for businesses on the net- if you are nice to people and respectful people will tell people about how much they like your business (the 7 part), but if you are rude, don't follow through, or cause drama- well, that is the 11- they will tell many more people how hard it was to work with you then they would have told if you were nice. O, and play nice with the other businesses, especially in your niche.

9. What would be your dream job?
I am in my dream job! I love everything related to textiles and creating and dyeing yarn- well, except the bookkeeping and accounting. So maybe what I am doing now but with a bookkeeper!

Ok, now these two are mandatory and I have to ask (this being a diner, after all)

1. What is your favorite meal?
I really, really love waffles. Not the Belgian waffles you get when you go out to eat, but the waffles from the machines that make them in five little heart shapes, spread with real butter and lots of syrup! Maybe some peanut butter if I am really hungry or trying to be healthy. O, and coffee. Lots of coffee!

2. Do you prefer tea or coffee?
It really depends on the occasion and the time. In the morning, coffee for sure (or a chai), it is more filling to me. Tea is better at night or drinking idly while I am working, especially a yummy flavored rooibos.

Saturday: Autumn necklace

Time to think about getting some Autumn jewelry in rich, warm colors. I think this necklace fits the bill. Beautiful rondelles in jewel tone colors paired with a smoky quartz briolette. YUM! Find it at The Glimmer Repository.

Friday Fish Fry: Electric Jelly Fish Notes

I love the gorgeous blue color of this stationary and the raised silver jelly fish really jumps out at you :) Find this set at Snew Art.

Thursday: Bird Pouch

I'm a big fan of birds (as many of you already know:-), applique and hand embroidery. Well, this cute little pouch has all of that plus fabulous colors. Find this and other equally adorable pouches at Loose String.

Wednesday: Chocolate Swirls

Pretty white swirls on a rich chocolate background - this cute wristlet even has a beaded wrist strap - very cool. Find it at Bean Pickle Sprout.

Tuesday: Cool Collage

I'm really feelin' this piece. Lots of texture and a cool design. Find it at garnish.

Monday: Personalized dishes

Oh, how my kids would love a set of real dishes like this! Beautiful design of animals with your child's name on them. Find them at Ola Design.

Sunday Brunch Special: ZeVin Cards

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your indie business.
ZeVin Creations is a sister-owned company that provides one-of-a-kind cards for all occasions/holidays/events. The uniqueness about our cards is that we use just about anything to make a card and we interweave in the two sister's special talents into the cards. We both have two distinct styles and that comes across in our cards which allows the card to appeal to a larger market.

2. Where are you located?
Louisville, KY

3. How did you come up with your business name?
The name ZeVin Creations comes from the sister’s parent’s name
(ZE – Zenolia Miller and VIN – Marvin Miller). God has blessed their parents with these girls who in exchange have been blessed with the talents that go into making these pieces of art. So it seemed natural to continue their legacy in the business name.
4. Where do you sell your products?
We have a couple retail locations in KY and NC. And online at www.zevcards.com. We are currently working on getting more locations for both internet and brick-mortar.

5. Do you belong to any local and/or web groups or affiliations?
The company belongs to the Louisville Craft Mafia. Maranda belongs to the Black Craft Guild.

6. What inspires you?
Just about everything inspires us when it relates to the cards. We can be going somewhere and see something that will spark a particular design for a card. The fun is when we make custom cards for we try to find out the most about the recipient so that we make sure the card truly reflects them and that is inspiration in itself.

7. When you’re not making things, what do you do?
Well we have the traditional business stuff – marketing, shows, networking. But with us both being mothers we try to spend quality time with our children and typically as a group. In our spare time, Marisa is training for a Team In Training marathon to support Leukemia and Maranda is working on her vegetable garden.

8. Do you ever get stumped for ideas? How do you work through it?
We try to stay current in what the national card-making, paper creating publications have going on as a way to get our juices flowing if we can't think of something. It's funny you'll see us in a bookstore or craft/art store looking through books.

9. What’s your favorite childhood memory?
We'd have to say the summers we spent on our grandparent's farm. It is in a small little drive-in drive-out town so we were isolated and just had the land and family members. We both developed responsibility and our foundation in who we are today. It definitely was our home away from Louisville.

10. What’s your favorite color?
Both Marisa and Maranda love the color purple. It is a sign of sophistication.

Ok, now these two are mandatory and I have to ask (this being a diner, after all)

1. What is your favorite meal?
Let's see a nice southern dish... and being end of summer I'd have to say some barbecue (Marisa chicken, Maranda a vegan riblet), macaroni salad, fried corn, some fresh green beans with tomatoes and cucumbers, a roll ... and then something sweet so Marisa carrot cake and Maranda a big bowl of strawberries and blueberries..

2. Do you prefer tea or coffee?
Well we both love tea – Marisa sweet cold tea and Maranda a nice hot chai tea with soy milk.

Saturday: Ming Dynasty Pottery necklace

Very interesting necklace with a bit of a history lesson. Ming dynasty pottery shard paired with mauve suede and a mix of fab beads. Love it! Find it at MTuent Jewelry Designer.