Cafe Handmade In the Studio Feature

Have you seen the Cafe Handmade In the Studio feature on Elle Carmon, aka yours truly?  It gives insight to my creative process as well as other things.  As I wrote it myself, I'll post a bit of it here and you can read the rest on the Cafe Handmade website:

I started making jewelry in June 2009. I was struggling with loneliness and depression and decided I needed a hobby. I’ve always enjoyed crafts so I went to Michaels and walked through the store until I found something that looked like fun. I never took any classes or received any formal training because, quite frankly, I can’t afford it. Instead I watch tutorials online and read blogs and practice as much as possible. In September 2009 I decided to elevate my jewelry making hobby to a business and opened a shop on Etsy. Now I sell vintage-inspired jewelry and accessories on Etsy, modern jewelry on ArtFire, and funky magnets on Zibbet. I also participate in craft shows and festivals as my schedule allows.


This business literally helps keep me sane. It’s been a very healthy way for me to deal with my mental illness and to meet a lot of fascinating, encouraging and creative people. Now I’m a huge supporter of the handmade movement and try to buy handmade whenever I can afford it. I firmly believe that people should buy handmade because it’s more personal. Someone took the time to fashion something with their hands and put some of herself in a particular piece as opposed to a machine stamping out the same design over and over. When you buy handmade, you’re supporting people instead of huge corporations and you’re helping to keep certain art forms from being lost in the era of mass production. Handmade goods are also often eco-friendly, vegan, and include fewer (if any) harsh chemicals. Buying handmade also helps keep our community vibrant, which is something I personally treasure.


The rest of the article can be found here: http://cafehandmade.com/index.php/2010/03/in-the-studio-with-elle-carmon-elles-beads/.  Please take a look and let me know what you think.  I hope this will give some insight into who I am and why I'm a part of the handmade movement.


Until next time,
Elle