Member Artisan Profile: 2 Virgos Designs

There’s a saying that when one door closes, another door opens, and Jackie, owner/creator of 2 Virgo Designs, embodies that. Looking for a creative outlet after discovering that damaged nerves prevented her from drawing like she used to, Jackie discovered soap making and fell passionately in love with it.

She’s been creating handmade soaps for two years. When asked what appeals to her about soap making, Jackie explains, “It is math, science, art, creativity, marketing, solitary and social all at once!”

Chocolate & Vanilla Soap

She draws much of inspiration from nature and life. Her favorite items are her hand milled soaps, offered in her Etsy shop. Her shop announcement states that, “2 Virgos Designs indulges my love for creativity, healthy living, and how wonderful lovely scented bath and beauty products and fragrances make us feel.”

Her biggest challenge as an artisan is hand painting her soaps, using a dry brush to paint accents. An example is pictured below in the adorable shar pei soap, part of her Primo’s Pawtourage dog themed soap line.

Shar Pei Handpainted Soap

A skill she’d like to learn is cold process soap making. Jackie says, “I value integrity and kindness above all!” This credo undoubtedly accounts for much of her success in art and business.

When asked to give one piece of advice to other sellers, Jackie offers this: “Do your research, make the best product you can, strive to excel at it!”

Oatmeal, Honey & Goat Milk Soap

Having relocated to Louisiana in 1992, Jackie calls the Bayou State home and her mother also lives here.

You can find Jackie’s scrumptious soaps here:
http://2VirgosDesigns.etsy.com
http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/tygerhart
http://2virgosdesigns.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/2VirgosDesigns
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=33532

Member Artisan Profile: Jodie Flowers

Meet Jodie Flowers, winner of the Handmade Louisiana’s second Craft-a-Long (theme: "Education, School and Learning"). She is the artist/proprietor of Jodie Flowers - Animal Flowers Art Studio. Jodie is a true Renaissance woman! Her creations include mixed media, sewing, ceramics, polymer clay, among others.

When asked how she got her creative start, Jodie replies, “My mom basically built the house I grew up in from scratch. She combined two old shacks and fixed them up with tons of salvage stuff from New Orleans. She taught me to sew and I used to make clothes for my dolls when I was little. I loved making things with paper and scotch tape too. Then I went on to school and thought I wanted to go into journalism (because I love to write too). Liked it [writing] in high school, but in college, things took a turn and all I wanted to do was to take every Art class available. I stayed in college for seven years just making stuff. I graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from SLU.”

Monster Patch

Jodie finds inspiration all over, including from her son, cartoons, nature, the sea, bugs, poems, Dr. Seuss, Tim Burton, Alice in Wonderland, Shell Silverstein, Maurice Sendak, Flickr, and “my mind's eye.” This explains the wonderfully eclectic nature of her body of work.

Her favorite pieces include her Crazy Leg Wall Vases and Screen Porch Spiders. Also popular are her monster patches. And let’s not forget her winning Craft-a-Long entry: Book Bugs.

Crazy Leg Vases

The best thing about being an artist, Jodie explains, is “doing what I love, when I want to and always having $$ in my pocket for myself, my husband and my son.”

When asked what she finds most challenging about being an artisan, Jodie says, “Juggling being a Mom, Wife, Daughter, Friend, and a full time Artist, when all I want to do is create all the time. If I had an island I could seclude myself on, I would!”

Jodie has this piece of advice to offer her fellow artists: “Promote, Promote, Promote! Tell everyone about your work, take chances and make something every day!!!”

What’s next for Jodie? One skill she’d like to learn is lampwork (glass bead making) and knitting. “I wish I could knit something more than a long scarf and learn to bind them all off properly. LOL!” she says.

Winning Craft-a-Long Entry: Book Bugs

Jodie explains her Louisiana connection: “I was not born here. I was born in Ismir Turkey, but my mom and dad are from here. My dad was a dentist in the Army, they returned to Louisiana when I was very young and I have lived here ever since.” She’s lived in Baton Rouge, Jackson, St. Francisville, Zachary, Hammond and now Abita Springs. “Louisiana is nice. I have traveled to some great places and this seems to be the place for me,” Jodie says. “You can make friends easily here. The weather could be cooler, but as long as there is AC, I am fine where I am.”

Visit Jodie online at:

http://www.jodieflowers.etsy.com/
http://www.jodieflowers.webs.com/
http://www.jodieflowers.synthasite.com/
http://www.waterstreetpottery.com/
http://www.lalunaarts.com/
http://www.twitter.com/jodieflowers
http://www.myspace.com/jodieflowers

Vote for the October Craft a Long Winner HERE!

This month's theme was "Happy Fall Ya'll!" And our fabulous artisans came up with some great work!! Please check these out and vote for your favorite in the poll on the sidebar.

Neon Orange SLS Free Soap in Cranberry Apple from Mama's Little Monkeys

Crochet Scarf and Hat from BarbsMacrameandMore

Autumn Spice Soap from HerbFriend

Farmer 2 by BlackDogStudio

Autumn Glory Handpainted Silk Scarf from Splendiferous Fiber

Canaima Earrings from Etco

Thanksgiving Aline Dress With Pumpkin from Georgannaandcompany

Nuts for Fall Handpainted FloorCloth by RueDesign

Autumn Leaves Flamework Glass Necklace by DebiDeaux

Graffiti Painted Canvas Placemats by CTStudios

Please get your votes in and pick your fave!! The winner will be announced in a few days and meanwhile our artisans are cooking up the next Craft a Long!!!
~~~Thanks~~~
Amy/Mama

Wordless Wednesday

Brown, Blue, Green Floral Print Baby Shoes by PachaMamma

October Giveaway Winner Is.....................

Christina from Gaudet's Gems! Congratulations Christina and thanks for entering!!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered! Remember to read all rules for all giveaways so you can be sure to be entered!! Our November giveaway will be up ASAP and I can't wait to show it to you!!

Thanks again everyone! The winner for Benjy Davis Autographed poster was Blue Violet and Rock Ridge Music will be in touch with you!! Thanks so much for playing everyone!!
~~~
Amy

Wordless Wednesday

Southern Style Garden Bench by Rustic Treasures

Do You VooDoo?

It's that time of year again folks! The air is turning crisp...(okay less humid)...pumpkins are popping up in stores and I'm planning my November 1st Candy Run to the store. It's FALL folks, and in New Orleans that means Halloween weekend is The VooDoo Experience, better known as the VooDoo Fest! So get ready and head on down to Marconi Dr in New Orleans (just a hop, skip and jump from my old Alma Maters, Delgado and UNO!) on Friday Oct. 30th-Sunday Nov. 1st for an awesome 3 day lineup of musicians, artists and more.

If you can catch the Fest on Friday, Oct. 30th, there's two special acts I'd like you to check out! Please make sure to catch the The Noisician Coalition  where our very own team member, MissMalaprop will have a role! And send me the pics!!

There are so many to see at the VooDoo Fest, but of course we are partial to our Louisiana musicians! The Benjy Davis Project invites you to catch them at 3pm on Friday, Oc. 30th at the Soco/WWOZ stage. Immediately after, they'll be doing a signing at the FYE tent. BDP has graciously offerred up an AUTOGRAPHED CD and Poster for one of our lucky readers!! And just to show we love all our readers, you can get the free MP3 of "Still Sweet" here also!

How to get your hands on the CD and Poster, aside from sending me massive amounts of chocolate? Easy peasy! Just head on over to the guys Myspace Page and listen to a few of their tunes and let us know which one is your fave in a comment here. (Be SURE to leave us a way to contact you so Rock Ridge Music can send you your prize!) Do you dig a BDP song not playing on their Myspace Page? No prob...just list that one! (Maybe they'll add it to their page for you!) While you're on their page, sign up for the mailing list and check out their Twitter and Facebook pages also!

To say there are some great artists playing at The VooDoo Fest would be an understatement. I mean, Kiss, Lenny Kravitz, Widespread Panic, Jane's Addiction, Eminem, just to name a few. But we all know our Louisiana artists are the best, so don't go just for the headlining acts, there is ALWAYS good music to be found at ANY Louisiana event! Then, the art, the food, crowds.....VooDoo fest IS as New Orleans as it gets! 

So head on over if you can, and be sure to check out Benjy and the guys. Don't forget to leave your comment here with your favorite Benjy Davis Project song! You have until November 2nd to enter!!

Rock on!!

~~Amy