Fred King's Reasons to Hike

Fred King makes cards and notes from his photographs. Here he explains how he got his start:

"I started taking pictures around 1970, and kept it up over the years. Around 2005, I started taking my photos to craft shows, to see if anyone would be interested in buying them. To my delight, people have. It's fun to do, and it gives me a great excuse to go hiking in the woods instead of cleaning my house."

I'm for any passion that relaces housework, especialy one that renders such beautiful products.

Kimmings Jewelry

Kim makes sophisticated jewelry in silver and gold wire as well as beaded earings. . Here's her story in her own words.

"Kimmings is a variation of my name-Kim. I started making beaded necklaces as a relief from boredom. I had retired from a career in market research for advertising agencies in New York City because of multiple sclerosis. After years of rushing to meet deadlines and going to school at night for a MBA, free time was a new experience. Facing what turned out to be years of bedrest, I decided to devote more time to jewelry making-at first beadstringing and weaving then wirewrapping. With my jewery collection and supplies threatening to take over my house, I decided to try selling some of my jewelry. " Her modesty forbids her from noticing just how wonderful her pieces are, from the sophisticated silver bracelets to the humorous beaded snowmen in her earing collections.

Penelope Designs Hats

In Penelope's own words: I have been knitting and crocheting for as long as I can remember, learning at the knee of my Bulgarian grandmother before the age of 10. When my sister had her two baby girls, she asked me to make knitted fruit hats for them (my boys had an anti-hat thing) and people actually stopped her in the streets of New York City to ask where she got them! That's when I realized I could probably sell my handiwork, and so I started my online store and selling hats to friends, neighbors and at craft fairs. My business soon branched out into all kinds of knitted and crocheted goods, and in the past couple of years, into jewelry. I joined Etsy fairly recently, and have loved the feeling of support and community that I find with other people who need to create beautiful things in order to feel alive!

Owls but no Pussycats

In her words, from a jeweler this time.

Jenny Hoffman is a work-at-home mom who creates necklaces and repurposes household items. "I like to take items that most people would throw away and makethem into something fun and functional." For example, she takes old metal spice tins and transforms them into tiny works of art to hold tea, bath salts, glitter, or whatnot. Her jewelry is a testament to the things she loves, which currently includes owls and coffee cups.

The Paper Chase

In her words: Miscelena Handmade Papercrafts

Born into a family full of crafty (in the best sense!) women, my mom taught me the value of a hand-written greeting when I was barely able to form the letters. Our shared enthusiasm for papercrafts - handmade cards and other remembrances - is still going strong. I spend most of my weekdays working at a computer (albeit luckily as a commercial interior designer - a job I love!), and while I enjoy the connection and communication available via the internet, I believe our world will be a bit less beautiful if we lose the ability to touch one another with our own handwriting, our own words in ink on paper.

My handmade cards are *all* one-of-a-kind, never-another-one-like-it original assemblages - and most are blank inside for your thoughts, musings, comments and doodles.

Artist Profile Mad Hatter Ceramics

Elizabeth Lagfled of Mad Hatter Ceramics makes whimsical pots and clay things. Here she discusses her beginnings and her inspirations

"I knew I was hooked on clay after taking a summer wheel-throwing class in Alexandria, VA in 2005.
But unfortunately, I hurt my hand skiing in March 2007, and had to switch from the wheel to hand-building. I have always liked to sew, and collect buttons, so when I started playing around with slabs, buttons seemed natural to "sew" my seams up. That led to my button line, and then I expanded my collection and made it even more whimsical with polka dots, swirling forms and "wood". My work is largely inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the origin for my company, Mad Hatter Ceramics. My favorite pieces merge form and function, artfully designed objects that can be used in everyday life."
Liz is also a member of the Creative Clay Studios in Alexandria VA Find this studio, leaning center and store on the web at http://creativeclaypottery.com/cool.htm

In Her Words- Profile of K. Wagner, Bookbinder.

Selling her wares under the name Moonlight Bindery, Katie Wagner has this to say about herself and her work." I am a bookbinder/bookconservator/librarian born, raised and still living in the Metro Washington, D.C. area. Inspired by the collection of papers I have amassed over the years and in need of an outlet for my creative side, I create high quality handbound books and photo albums. On a more whimsical note I also have a line of notebooks created from salvaged boxes. The boxes are from here and my husband's native Germany. The notebooks are wire or spiral bound and run the gamut of the food spectrum! " Pictured here is one of her noteboooks bound in a Necco Wafer Box. What a wonderful Valentine for the literary.