Learning Shibori Dying

Getting my hands dirty is something I look forward to. Dying my hands blue….well, that was new for me until recently. I took a Shibori dying class this weekend, and as always, learning something new and unrelated to anything else I’m involved with, tends to inspire me in unexpected ways. Not only did I learn about the historical significance of indigo, but also practical information about working with natural dyes. I can admit this now, after the fact, that I didn’t realize indigo was a plant. I guess I always assumed it was a mineral or chemical compound, but it’s actually a crop, one that’s making a major comeback on American farms. Who knew! Well, you might have known, but I certainly didn’t.

The class was organized by The Maker’s Collective, taught by Catherine Cross of the Summer Blues Indigo Dying Workshop, and hosted at Knack here in Greenville, SC. Our group spent the first hour watching demonstrations of different techniques, learning an overview of Shibori dying, followed by two hours of our own hands-on experiments. We used clothespins, rubber bands, clamped plywood, and lots of other random stuff to resist the dye in certain areas, creating all sorts of interesting and unpredictable patterns on test fabric, and eventually “real” stuff like clothing. I brought some white leather scraps from my studio, just to see if it would work, and was thrilled with the results. It was such a blast!

A few of my finished pieces

Some of my pieces turned out beautifully, but most did not. I couldn’t get the dye to do exactly what I wanted, but it’s nice to give up control sometimes. Here’s why my so called failures are actually good for the health of my creativity:

I need freedom to fail sometimes. I need freedom of process, to experiment with new mediums that may or may not complement the work I do for my handmade business Once Again Sam. My average day is filled with production, making finished items to fulfill orders, all of which have to look a certain way. My business is booming, which is exciting, but I don’t often have time to just dabble and screw around in the studio like I used to. I have to be diligent with my time and make make make, otherwise by business might fail.

The thing is, my business won’t fail just because I took a few hours one Saturday afternoon to go learn something cool like Shibori dying rather than working on orders. It’s healthy to get out once in awhile and try something new, just for fun, just to keep my creative juices flowing. Experimenting with different mediums is how my business started, and I have to step back and remember that, and choose to pursue more of it, because it will help me grow. Afterall, I’m a maker (who currently has blue hands), not a factory.

American Made Finalist

I was finishing up lunch with my husband at our favorite Indian buffet when I got the email informing me I was a finalist for the 2015 Martha Stewart American Made Awards. I read the email several times through before the words truly sunk in. Once they did, I got lightheaded and my hands started to shake. I never expected my delicious chicken makhani to come with a side of such incredible news.

Thousands of talented makers are in the pool of nominees each year, and just small percentage make it this far. The program puts the spotlight on emerging makers, those who have dedicated their lives to their craft, and are striving to succeed as creative entrepreneurs. It’s a huge honor to be a finalist in the Style / Jewlery category this year, regardless of what happens next. Being recognized in a national competition of this caliber is a pretty big deal for a little business like mine. These things don’t happen everyday!

Because of my big big news, I was lucky enough to be featured on Studio 62 with Jamarcus Gaston recently, and share about my media experience in a blog feature with the ever-so-informative Academy of Handmade. I was also able to share my story on local talk show Your Carolina. 

Martha Stewart and her panel of 16 judges have gotten me this far, but the rest is entirely up to voters like you. Would you please take a moment to send some votes my way? We set up an easy-to-remember sub domain that takes you directly to my nomination: www.vote.onceagainsam.com and once you create a login on the Martha Stewart American Made page, you’ll be able to vote up to 6 times per day until October 19th. Winning something like this would change my business forever, in so many fantastic ways.

Thanks a million!

Indie Craft Parade 2015

The 6th annual Indie Craft Parade was this past weekend, and as always, it didn't disappoint. Far from it! This highly competitive, well-organized regional craft fair showcases 80 artists and brings out 6-7,000 attendees in Greenville every September. I was pleased to participate once again this year, and just as in years past, it was one of my best shows ever. How does that keep happening? This particular craft show is just THAT good!

I saw so many familiar faces, people who have been coming to my booth year after year. I always enjoy seeing "vintage" Once Again Sam jewelry in the crowd, pieces I made several years ago, still being enjoyed. That's probably the coolest part of the weekend - having happy customers come back again and again.

This is a big weekend for my business, so I spend a good chunk of the summer preparing for it. I'm proud to say, this was the first Indie Craft Parade when I didn't run out of bags or dollar bills. In previous years, I vastly underestimated how many shoppers would come through, so I'd double up on supplies the following year, and of course the number of customer would double up too, so I still had the same problem. Not this year! I took $150 in singles, and over 500  paper bags (which I hand stamped one by one) and it seems I finally have a feel for just how to prepare for this show. It only took me 5 years to get it right! 

Here's the rundown of my weekend in numbers, just as I shared last year, plus a peek inside my shopping bag at my fabulous finds. I always enjoy supporting other artists, and at a show like this one, you truly have to restrain yourself! There is so much talent, so many gift ideas, so many splurges to consider. In the end, I brought home items from 12 other artists. 

My 2015 Indie Craft Parade purchases will full artist list below:

1. Origami flowers by Paperform

2. Mixed media block art by Heather Murphy

3. Ceramic bowl by Daniel Bare

4. Paper wall art by Paperform

5. Lip balm by Hello Soap

6. Weaving on woodblock by Twenty Two West

7. Mixed media assemblage by Jon Andrews

8. Wood block paintings by Sunny Mullarkey Studio

9. Brass stud earrings & ring by Melting Sun Apparel

10. Print by Elizabeth Foster

11. Painted wood sign by Olive + Grey

12. Handbag by Hawks & Doves

Turning 10

On June 18th, 2005, Etsy began. So did my marriage. 

I like sharing this happy day in history. Getting married changed my life, and so did Etsy. That probably sounds weird, it's just a website, right? To me, and billions of others, it's a lot more than just a website.

If it wasn't for Etsy, I never would have started my handmade business Once Again Sam. They made it easy for people like me with creativity and ideas, but no business background, to get started and eventually succeed. I literally learned something new every day thanks to their mission to educate and help you help yourself and connect with others. After a few years selling handmade jewelry and fiber art, I now consider being a Maker to be my full time job. Being a wife is my other full time job. They both take work, they're both incredibly rewarding, and they both define who I am. 

Ten years as a wife has shown me a pretty good glimpse of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows life has to offer. We've been through some really awful stuff together, but we've also laughed so hard we've cried, we've both grown in so many ways, but still have SO much to learn. Thankful for these 10 years, and all that's to come. 

OAS FAQ

I’m taking time today to run through my most frequently asked questions and answer them all in one shot. If you have inquiries of your own, send em’ over!

1. What’s with the name?   

    Once Again Sam has been my shop name from the beginning, and it has nothing to do with Casablanca (the line from the movie is actually “Play it, Sam”, but it’s often misquoted). My name isn’t Sam, and neither is my husbands. We both get that a lot!

Here’s the real story: when I got married, my initials became S.A.M., and I thought having a name within a name was pretty novel, so I decided to use that for my business. When I first started my shop, I never dreamed I’d ever meet my customers in person, I assumed my business would only exist on the web, so I liked using an alias to maintain some anonymity. Well, that blew up in my face - nowadays I meet thousands of customers every year in person and they don’t know what to call me (you can call me Sarah, by the way)!  The “Once Again” part of the name refers to my love of upcycling. I repurpose materials like leather & wood and give them new life “once again” in a whole new way.

2. Do you make everything?

    Yep! I have many hobbies, my skill sets are always growing, and I make everything you see on my table at craft shows and in my Etsy shop. My husband helps with the general operations of my business, and he definitely has a hand in the designs and will often assist with some of the woodworking items as well. Everything is made in our home studio in Greenville, SC.

3. I’m local, can I pick up my order?

    It seems like an easy way to save a few bucks on shipping, so I don’t blame you for asking, but I’m afraid I cannot do meetups or deliveries. I do go to the post office almost every day, so I promise you wont be waiting long! I get asked this question a LOT, especially around holidays (the record still stands at 22 meetup requests in one week last year right before Christmas). If I had taken the time to meet up with 22 different people to deliver their orders, 22 other people wouldn't have gotten theirs on time, so it's really not fair to the rest of my customers (or myself). 

If you really don’t want to pay shipping, here’s a few things you can do:

• Checkout some of the local stores that carry my work: Urban Digs, The Shoppes on Trade, Liz Daly, The Art Lounge.

• Find me at a local craft show: I always post schedules on social media, and often have 10 times the inventory of my Etsy shop. You can order online and pickup at a show, then I’ll refund the shipping.

4. Do you ever have coupon codes?

    Yes, but it’s rare. I only do discount coupon codes about 4-5 times a year (usually for 20% off or less). Here’s why: I decided I would rather have my “real price” as my “all the time price” rather than marking things up just to put them on sale. I wanted my customers to be able to buy whenever they wanted, and not have to wait for the next sale to be able to afford the purchase. 

5. Do you take custom orders?

    YES!!! I’d say about 50% of my business is actually custom work. People see something they like in my shop or on social media, but they want something slightly different (or completely different) and I’m cool with that. Interested in a custom order? Just send me a note (via Etsy Conversation, a direct message on social media, or through the contact form on this website).

6. Did you go to school for this?

    Nope. Although I did go to art school (Maryland Institute College of Art), I studied Environmental Design (Interior Design / Architecture / Furniture Design), nothing to do with fiber art or jewelry. When it comes to the items I make & sell through Once Again Sam, I’m primarily self taught.

7. Do you do this for a living?

    Pretty much! In 2013 or thereabout, I was able to flip flop my hobby with my career. My business was doing well, and I was making more selling my work than I was in my full time interior design job, so I made the switch. The problem was, I actually liked my day job too (as an interior designer in the field of commercial architecture), so I’ve been lucky to find a firm that’s flexible enough to let me work part time. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to do both! I typically work 20-25 hours a week as a designer, and 40+ as a maker. Income-wise, I'm about 80% self employed. 

8. Will you ever open a brick & mortar store?

    Boy, that’s tempting, but as of right now I have no plans to. I love working out of my home, and having the flexibility to set up temporary shops at regional craft shows, while not being chained to retail hours. I know I’d enjoy the retail design & display side of things, but for now, I’m sticking to what has worked well so far: online shops & craft shows. Things can always change in the future though!

9. Do you teach classes?

    I have in the past, but it’s not something I do regularly.

10. About the needle felted fiber art: Are these toys? Why are they so expensive?

    They are definitely NOT TOYS! They’re actually quite fragile, and I’m afraid if you give one of these needle felted creations to a small child or household pet, it will probably not survive. Although a lot of my felted pieces are cute little animals and monsters, they’re intended to be decorative art pieces.

As for the cost, they may seem pricey, but it’s because they take an awful long time to make. I’m talking hours and hours. A small four-legged felted animal figurine may require 4-6 hours of my time to create, so in the end, I’m making minimum wage of some of these things, which isn't much for something that requires a specialized skill, but I do it because I enjoy the process.