Meet Alicia Mae

It's time for the EtsyBlogger's featured artist of June. I enjoy doing our monthly features because I learn more about my Etsy acquaintances. I'm learning this month that Alicia Mae and I have similar interests... We've tried our hands in a variety of crafts (though I could never be a painter), our full time jobs in the scientific world, our love of nature.

She has over twenty years of crafting experience, always expander her crafty horizons. She has always loved painting. Woodburning is a craft that her mother taught her. Cross stitching was a hobby in her teenage years, and the summer camp activity of bracelet weaving brings back nostalgic memories. She even works with polymer clay, inspired by her aunt. After completing her PhD, she had some time to make a lot of beautiful things that can be found in her three Etsy shops.

Set of Three Polymer Clay Push Pins - Reduced Price!

Meet Alicia Mae, and shop fast! She has a moving sale going on, lots of good deals!!!

Tell me a little about yourself.
My day job is editing scientific manuscripts, which lets me work from home and bother our two cats. I live with my boyfriend and we are planning a move to Northern New Hampshire in the coming weeks.

I see you do a variety of crafts, but which is your favorite? Why?
Painting...anything painting. I love color and there's just something about starting with a blank surface and ending up with something new and special that makes me feel like I accomplished something.

Handpainted Round Polymer Clay Pendant

Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?
Nature, others' art. I love to remember colors or textures I've seen and either replicate or integrate them into what I do.

5x7 Sepia Hue Soft Glow Sleeping Kitty Cat

Tell me about your favorite thing you've ever made.
The OOAK Woodburned and Handpainted Celtic Knot Heart Trinket Box. An absolute wonder that I ever completed it, LOL! The knotwork was so intricate and I didn't have a template for portions of it. It took many pencil marks before the woodburning was done and then the painting was so intricate. I had my little brush with only 5 hairs and constantly cleaning out the burnt lines with paint that went too far. But it came out gorgeous!


What do you do when you are not making crafts?
Writing about health topics, reading a number of topics (science, health, religion, philosophy)

Visit Alicia Mae at:
Links to her blog and Flickr: http://AliciaMae.com
And her three Etsy shops:
http://aliciamae.etsy.com
http://aliciamaeprints.etsy.com
http://randomsupplies.etsy.com

The Attic

Enough about me, let's talk about someone else for a change.

I've made some friends through Etsy, and this is the first of several articles promoting someone else. Meet QuiltnMama.

http://quiltnmama.etsy.com

What I like most about QuiltnMama's shop is the variety. As it says in her shop announcement, its filled with lots of hidden treasures, just like Grandma's attic. Although it's like Grandma's attic, it's NOT Grandma's attic, as everything is very modern (and of course not musty).

Don't let the name fool you. While she is a mama, of two beautiful children, she does a lot more than quilt. She is also an artist and a painter. This decorative painted slate has many uses, as a garden accent, a decoration on a chair rail, or a door stop.

She used her experience from years of preschool teaching to develop, not to mention illustrate, her children's books. Her books teach children how to read in a way that children learn best, and they can color and be creative at the same time:

And while she "Never Promised You a Rose Garden," she can promise beautiful high quality quilts, such as the lap quilt shown here:

As well as postcard quilts:

Aside from quilting, she's also a very talented children's clothing designer, as proven in this beautiful flower girl dress:

With all this variety, where does QuiltnMama get her inspiration? QuiltnMama replies, "Most of my inspiration comes from craft books or the craft shops. I see items and think I can do that, but better. I always put my spin on it." As the name implies, her favorite materials to craft with are textiles.

On a more personal note, QuiltnMama enjoys living in New England in a small town community with her husband, two children, and her dog. When she's not busy at the sewing machine or holding a paint brush, she enjoys being outside, whether she's water skiing, biking, snowmobiling, or hiking.

Want to know more about this amazing Etsy seller? Visit her blog http://quiltn4u.blogspot.com/ and her Etsy shop http://quiltnmama.etsy.com/ and see for yourself!