Congratulations to CordovaStudios!

Congratulations to Kay of CordovaStudios.etsy.com. She has been chosen to be our "Hot Shop" this week. I've asked Kay a few questions to get to know her better.

1. Who is CordovaStudios? Cordova Studios is/has been my fiber studio here in Dallas for about 12 years. I named it after the street I lived on in East Dallas . I taught weaving there for about 12 years. Now I have a studio here in my present house as my personal fiber playroom. It houses my Rio Grande spinning wheel, carder, sewing machine and serger and untold amounts of fiber.

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it? I have been knitting since before time, I think. I knit compulsively, mostly montage shawls and scarves from my stash of handspun and anything that works. Occasionally I knit the obligatory baby blanket or prayer shawl. These days I am addicted to my Kromski Sonata spinning wheel where I spin many roving bought on Etsy or batts and rovings I have made myself. Oh, and the dye pots are ripping along right now as I dye up rovings and my, as yet, undyed hand spun.

3. Where do you pull your inspiration from? COLOR drives most of what I do. Sometimes it’s in my photographs, sometimes from my garden, sometimes J. Crew!

4. What is your favorite medium? Merino wool, and combos of it with seacell, silk, etc.

5. Is Etsy your art your full time job, or just an on the side project? It’s an on the side project that is beginning to fill up most of my days. I love it!

6. What is your favorite thing to do with the Etsy Texas Crafters Team? I am brand new to the Etsy Texas Crafters Team so right now I would have to say the blog since I was lucky to win this little contest.

7. Any tips for other Artists? Wow, I guess I used to tell my students to trust their color sense. Look at what they like in their surroundings and use that as a start. Also, mistakes happen. We can fix it!

8. Tell me a Secret about yourself. I won the top Amateur Rider at the Tucson Classic Hunter-Jumper Horse show back in 1985


Congrats Kay! We are so glad to get to know you! You can also find more info about Kay here: http://twistedintexas-cordovasstudios.blogspot.com/ Facebook: Cordova studios Twitted; Kaybelle4

Want to be featured next? Go to CordovaStudios.etsy.com and check out her shop. Post back here with your favorite item of hers. Friday I'll pick a new team member to feature.

New Spotlight Treasury!

Just when you think you've seen Liz's best work, here comes another Spotlight Treasury that really makes you pay attention. This wonderful treasury features, as you can see, black and yellow. It is really well put together! Great Job Liz!

Now lets all click on the treasury, click on each item and comment to support all our Team~

Your Favorite Place in Texas

The wonderful thing about Texas is that, other than mountains, you have most every type of landscape you could want. Rivers to beaches, desert to forest, country to big city, hills to canyons.
I have a favorite spot that I will share with you. It is quiet and out of the way, but, whether it's because it's beautiful, or that I found it a refuge in a hard time in my life, it is my heaven on earth, hideaway, peaceful place. Now, don't laugh, but its on the Medina River, outside of Bandera. My parent's own a little place there and, *sigh*...I can't get enough of it.
This is the Medina river (yes I took that shot) and, not without my family's objections, I could sit in a tube on the river all day! My little heaven in Texas.

Now for YOU! I want you to tell me about your little spot on heaven in our great state. Blog about it on your blog and post a link in the comments here.

Next Friday, I'll use a random number generator and the Texas Team shop that comes up will be featured on this blog next week.
Lets all read each other's blogs and get to know one another and great spots in our state! If you aren't on our Etsy Texas Crafters Team, share a little anyway. We'd love to get to know you!

Paper Box Tutorial

This is a video of Mary, from Etsy admin. teaching how to make a great box!

I learned to make these boxes and now send all my items to my customers in lovely boxes. You can get great deals on scrapbook paper if you watch for coupons and sales.

Tip No. 1: Don't use Tag Paper. They are pretty, but they are so thick the creases crack.

Tip No. 2: Skip step one (fold corner to corner to find center) Use a ruler and pencil to draw lines corner to corner on the inside to find the center. This will give you a lovely flat top with no creases.

Good luck and have fun. Customer's love these!

New Spotlight Treasury

Liz has outdone herself once again!

As always, click on each item and leave a comment, if possible!Reminder: if you notice that I have deleted your comment, please know that it is only so others can comment, too. (Etsy limits the comment space.) I read and appreciate everyone's comments so keep 'em coming!

Thank you for your support of ETC!
~Liz (lavenderlizard, lavenderladybug)
Spotlight Treasury Curator
Twitter Coordinator

What's New Pussy Cat?

Today is our Day to Highlight what's new in our shops. Our Etsy Forum thread: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6147110 is a place where we highlight our new members as well as what each of us are working on that is new.

We have 57 new members this month, and over 800 others who could be showing off their latest creations! So, please, welcome our new folks, show off your latest creations, and help keep this thread active and positive. No stats, no reports, no sign-ups -- just an opportunity to be friendly and to tell others a bit about your shop and what you offer.

Those of you that aren't part of the Texas Team are welcome, too. Stop in and say "Howdy" and check out some great new stuff for Summer~ You Won't Be Disappointed!

Houston Treasury - Mini Teams Supporting Each Other

The Houston team is blessed to have a mighty treasury curator. Linda from LindaGJ.etsy.com continuously supports her team by creating wonderful treasuries to highlight their work. Weekly Linda spends her time, not only standing in line for a treasury (it's like that isn't it) but searching out and creating collections that highlight the talents there.

Linda is not only selfless in promoting her team mates, but she is an accomplished artist herself. She has an amazing talent for sculpture and drawing. Her likenesses of her cat, Peanut, are hilarious and make us all want to own a little black and white buddy of our own. If you have ever taken part in of the swaps, you are probably lucky enough to have received some of her cards or magnets.

Linda, thanks for being such a valued and generous member of the Houston team!

Be sure to take a look at the treasury and support it as well as taking a look around Linda's shop. You won't be disappointed.

Calling All Texas Team Bloggers!

As I am trying to develop readership for this blog and highlight how great our Texas Team is I was going to "contact" all our team members with blogs and let them know we are here and up and running. Well, I just took a look at the list and, well, um..no. There are so many of you out there!

Everyone spread the word we are up and running. We will be having contests, features, great info and fun games. Everyone is invited, not just Team members.

So, help a girl out...if you know of some bloggers, get them in on it. It's going to be fun!

Mini team leaders, give me a heads up at Miasophia.etsy about treasuries your mini teams have, too. We'll highlight them here as well as your big events, etc.

SpotLight Treasury

Liz managed to grab a Treasury today and fill it with 12 more ETC shops! Come see who's featured: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=56311

Be sure to take a look at all the featured items and comment! Lets support our team~

First Mondays with Texas!

ETC First Mondays Sales Event is 24 hours of sales and special offers in both the ETC Team Shop and the shops of individual ETC members.This event is held from 12:01am to 12:00 midnight Central Time on the first Monday of every month (1:01am Monday - 1:00am Tuesday, Etsy Time).

Click HERE to see a list of the MANY shops offering sales today and follow our current thread in the Etsy Forums.

New Blog, New Look

Hey All Etsy Texas Team Members and those who love 'em! We are in the process of re-vamping the blog and plan on having lots of new things. Featured Shops, tutorials, contests, and more fun things.

Leave a note here letting us know what you think of the new look. If you have any ideas for a tutorial or content that you would like to share, let us know that too!

Be sure and follow us (click it on the link on the right) and get to know fun things, fun shops and fun people!