August/September Creative Corner - Jill's Curiosities

I met Jill Hill a few months ago and I am sure glad our paths have crossed. Jill and I have many things in common. Can you guess one of the things we have in common? Yep, we are both crafty and operate with an entrepreneurial spirit sharing our creations with the world! Since we share this passion, I chose her for Creative Corner. Jill specializes in “Jilly Bags” and multipurpose clips.

Her “Jilly Bags” are multi functional pouches that are big enough to carry most anything you need and small enough to be handheld; making it perfect for hikes, shopping and any other activity you partake in. You could carry your camera, smokes and lighter (yuck, but you can), make-up, cell phone, money and any combination of items you choose! They are handcrafted with quality in mind and love through out.

Jill’s multipurpose clips are just as functional. They are creatively designed and make a really cool gift. You could wear them in your hair, hang them from your rear view mirror, attach them to your purse or come up with your own creative way of using them. After all, they are multi functional. Please tell me, which other functions might these wonderful clips serve?

You can find all of Jill’s Curiosities on her Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/JillsCuriosities.

Much love to you Jill!

August/September Business Worth the Buzz: Hand Made by Me Susan Perry

Yes, yet another friend of mine has plunged into the self employment pool! I have known Susan for some time now. I first worked under her at a local pet store, then tables turned and she worked with me at a natural body care company. Which tickles me because she now has her own body care line; it is funny how things work out.

In her body care line you will find lotions, lip balm, bar soap and scrubs. I have personally tried her Sierra Natural Lip Balm and I instantly fell in love with it. Her body care collection is literally handmade, with her hands and not a machine. The ingredients are pure and as natural as can be while sustaining a shelf life for her customers.

Susan does not stop there. She is also a seamstress and talented at other creative pursuits. As part of Nevada County Makes, you will find her at most street fairs and events. Her table is usually filled with body care, lamps, survival bracelets, totes, backpacks, quilts, wallets, hats and even trivets.

Check out her goods at http://www.nevadacountymakes.com/maker_store/hand-made-by-me-susan-perry. She offers them at a reasonable price and does not skimp when it comes to quality.

May/June 2012 Creative Corner - Rocksntwigs by Judy Daly

Reduse, Reuse, Recycle

As I mentioned in a previous blog post that I joined Nevada County Makes. I joined to not only have an outlet for my hobbies but I joined because I wanted to be part of a creative community. What I did not know when I joined was that this community of extremely supportive of each other and extremely talented. 

This community also creates with passion. They create what makes them happy, not what people want. The energy of the item they have created then becomes nothing less than pure.

That is why I chose this month’s Creative Corner, Rocksntwigs by Judy Daly. What first caught my eye was the Toad Houses that she makes. The idea is very unique and creative. As I read more about the things she makes I was elated to see that Judy reuses items that would have normally gone to the dump. Wood, PVC pipe, plastic, Styrofoam moss, sticks and stones are all on Judy’s supply list. I admire and try to stick by the reduce, reuse and recycle way of living so this really resonated with me.  

Judy also creates candles and birdhouses, among other things. You can click on the image below to visit her store on Nevada County Makes. 

Thank you Judy for sharing your passion and your creations with us! 

May/June 2012 Business Worth the Buzz: Creative Kids Preschool and Daycare

Finding a daycare is easy, but you can only find a phenomenal daycare once in a lifetime!

When Alyssa was 18 months old we had to find a place for her to spend her days while my husband and I were at work. This was the most terrifying experience that I have yet to deal with as a mom; it even tops some of the unbelievable moments my daughter has blessed us with. Really!

A colleague kept telling me about the daycare she had her boys in but because I am stubborn and a free spirit I had to find one for myself. I visited just about all the daycares that I had not already heard of. Wow, was I shocked to see what crap “providers” were providing for children. The last daycare I visited was an in-home daycare. I really like the idea of having in a smaller, more intimate setting. The woman had the kids crammed into a little room with a TV (and sheets on the windows), while the rest of her house was immaculately filled with glass and other breakables. Not the best environment for my little “bull in a China shop”, LOL! 

That was not the worst part though, to get to the outside play area you had to walk through a cluttered garage with all the usual garage dangers. The play area had all the expected toys and structures; except shade. The woman told me that she sprayed them with the hose to keep them cool and reassured me that trees were on the way. OK. Although the woman was really nice, I walked out of there and never wanted to go back. I had it in my mind that I was going to become a stay at home mom. I was over the whole “finding a daycare” idea.

Until, I decided to listen to my colleague. The day we showed up at Creative Kids was the day my opinion changed on daycares and preschools. It was perfect and exactly what I was looking for; structured yet intimate. It was obvious that all the teachers there were there because they wanted to be, not just because they needed an income. Luckily, Alyssa fit right in and was there until  she started Kindergarten (4 years).

Creative Kids is clean. Creative Kids is positive. Creative Kids is about making friends and growing. It is a preschool and daycare center that has the feel of a home day care center because it is filled with love and passion. They teach the kids respect; for both yourself and your friends.  They help your child meet the standards to get into Kindergarten; academically and socially. Overall, our four years of being at Creative Kids was phenomenal. We are truly blessed to have started Alyssa’s school years here.

More so, Alyssa’s Kindergarten teacher noticed and mentioned how “whoever was with her before she started Kindergarten prepared her for both learning and playing with new friends.” This really made me feel more compassion towards these ladies than I already had. Another professional noticed their mad child rearing skills which set it in stone for me; Creative Kids rocks!

Although Alyssa is now too big to go back we are so happy that she started school with Miss Cindy and Miss Sara, not only because we created a strong bond with them and others but also because they prepared her for the next step in her journey! I have said it before and I will say it again, lifelong friendships start at Creative Kids!

I joined Nevada County Makes!

I just can not shake this need to make earrings and create. I try to keep it as just a hobby but honestly, I make more pairs than I can wear! That is why I was excited to join Nevada County Makes. It is a online store for crafty people who live in Nevada County. It allows the artisans of this cosmically creative community have a presence on the web at a very low cost. As you know, websites are expensive to launch and maintain so this concept is huge!

There is something for everyone at NCM! You can find seamstresses, jewelry, woodwork, metal work, creative one of a kind gifts, walking sticks, handmade soap...the list really does go on.

Here is the URL for the home page:
www.nevadacountymakes.com

Here is the URL to my shop on NCM:
http://www.nevadacountymakes.com/maker_store/crandalls-creations

Y'all stop on by now, ya hear!

Business Worth the Buzz: Nevada County Makes--What is it that attracts so many creative people to the Sierra Nevada?

There is a book titled, Sierra Songs and Descants, Poetry and Pose of the Sierra, which was edited by Gail Rudd Entrekin and Kathryn Napier Stull. It is a collection of poetry and short stories that were inspired by the Sierra Mountains. When I read the Foreward by Sands Hall, it hit me; I live in one of the most creative, abundant and exceptional places in the world. Sands Hall shares a tea time story which was experienced with a new friend she had acquired upon moving to Nevada County. Her company asked if she knew why so many artists and healers were “attracted to this area”. It was explained to her (and did not take her much time to see) that, “Gold attracts those searching for wealth. It’s an element with magical properties. It’s monetary pull is merely one aspect of its mystical qualities.” It does make sense. Gold is known to also be associated with perfection and balance. Doesn’t every creative person seek both of those things to some extent? 

Those of us who reside in the Sierra Nevada Foothills are quiet an imaginative bunch. Some of us pursue our talent as a career and some of us leave it as a hobby. Either way, the spectrum of talent is broad and ranges from music to art to dance to theatre to design to healing to all the above and more. Generally, people in this area are passionate and are not afraid to express self. We are all different in our own little way and that is how we prefer it. You can see the imagination of which our community radiates at any of our local street fairs.  There is no shortage of performers or vendors distributing their handmade bags, soaps, clothes, accessories, jewelry, spoons, walking sticks, yard art, home décor, fine arts, foods, wines and other creative expressions. You can see it hung and taste it in each winery tasting room, coffee house and most restaurants throughout Nevada County. You can hear it pouring out of local bars and restaurants any given Friday or Saturday night. It is everywhere and at times overwhelming. 

That is what inspires me to share my local finds with you. This Business Worth the Buzz is  Nevada County Makes (NCM). NCM is an online store that has embraced our creative community and provided us with a platform to sell our goods. Jerri Glover, founder of NCM states that, “We are surrounded by creativity in Nevada County. It is one of many things we love about living here. We wanted to provide people access to these amazingly talented people 24/7, year-round. That is why Bill and I created Nevada County Makes.” Thank goodness they did because now we have one place to find hundreds of local handmade goods; clothes, lamps, walking sticks, jewelry, metalwork, pottery, woodwork, paper craft, bags, toys, wellness items, etc. If you are looking for it, you are probably going to find it here. If it is handmade and you need to sell it, you can probably sell it here. Did anyone see their booth at Cornish Christmas this year? I think we are going to start seeing a lot more of Nevada County Makes around, let’s hope anyway! For more information on NCM, please visit www.nevadacountymakes.com.

Resources:

Rudd Entrekin, Gail and Napier Stull, Kathryn. Sierra Songs and Descants, Poetry and Prose of the Sierra. Nevada City: Hip Pocket Press, 2002.

For more information on this book please visit http://hippocketpress.com/sierrasongs.php.