SweetShop Adventures; The Denver Crochet Guild, Yarn Shoppe Studio and Bags By CAB

Happy Monday SweetShoppers!!

So hopefully I've gotten you used to checking here on a Monday morning to find out about some of the excellent Crafters I Admire (otherwise known as the Sweetshop C.I.A--I'm going to keep saying that until it catches on, ok?). Since it's a new year and my pattern-writing experiment seems to be going horribly awry, I thought I'd try another new idea and start featuring some cool crafty places and gatherings here on the blog in addition to interviews.

My first stop was the Denver Crochet Guild, held at the lovely Yarn Shoppe Studio in downtown Denver.

The first thing you see when entering the Yarn Shoppe, 17th and Larimer, Denver,CO

Okay, first of all fellow yarn addictscrafters, feast your eyes on this lovely display. When I first visited The Yarn Shoppe Studio, my first thought was that it seemed very unassuming for such a splashy location (it's one block away from the 16th Street Mall in the heart of downtown Denver--very easy to find). The window displays are gorgeous, but the shop itself is in the corner of a larger building and didn't catch my eye the first time I walked past it. However, once I walked in, everything changed.

More cozy yarn space at 1777 Larimer Street

How did I miss this? I have spent a LOT of time in and out of specialty yarn shops, beautiful people, and I can honestly say that The Yarn Shoppe Studio is one of the coziest, most welcoming shops I've ever visited. It just has a very warm, friendly feel to it which I appreciate as a perpetually browsing, curious crafter. 

If you take a closer look at the second photo, you'll notice that the Yarn Shoppe is not only a specialty yarn store. It also has a very diverse selection of local handcrafted goods by local designers and  racks of vintage clothing and bags provided by Fafa's Genuine Designer and Vintage Handbags. For those who need help finding out how to use all that gorgeous yarn, the shop also provides classes, workshops, and one-on-one tutorial sessions for beginner to expert crafters. For those trying to make their crafting passion into a business, the shop owner provides all sorts of business workshops, marketing assistance, website design and business services for a fee. 

Aaaaand the shop also repairs knitwear(the first time I've ever seen that service offered by a yarn shop), hosts events, and is the meeting place for local craft gatherings like the Denver Crochet Guild(which I'll chat about in a moment...)

As you can see, the Yarn Shoppe provides a lot of really diverse services and serves a pretty diverse population. All of that is due to this lady right here...

Cassandra Allen-Brown, owner of the Yarn Shoppe and Bags By Cab, wearing one of her own scarves

This lovely lady is Cassandra Allen-Brown, who owns the Yarn Shoppe, is the owner and designer of handmade knitwear brand Bags By Cab, and the president of the local chapter of the Denver Crochet Guild as well. I strongly suggest you check out the website link to get an idea of the full scope of Cassandra's hard work and talent, but she's truly a force to be reckoned with in the Denver crafting scene. I met her a few months ago when I first began my brief Denver sojourn, and I really admire her work ethic and capability to multi-task. The fact that she offers so much and still manages to support other crafters and give something back to the community is truly impressive.  

Now to talk a bit about the Denver Crochet Guild. Essentially, the group is the local chapter of the Crochet Guild of America, a national organization that spearheads crochet groups, provides professional crochet certification, and publishes some pretty cool patterns and publications. I became aware of the national organization awhile ago when thinking of pursuing a professional crochet certificate. (I may write more about that experience on a later date) but due to my generally transient, intercontinental lifestyle, I never thought to look up a local chapter. I feel a bit sorry that it's taken me so long to do so.

The Denver guild is an assortment of lovely, friendly ladies who meet once a month and crochet. Some of them are professional crafters, some are hobby crafters and some are brand new beginners looking to brush up their skills. All of them are creative and encouraging, and if you're in the Denver area and are looking for a group of people to crochet with, I strongly suggest you give them a visit. (You can find out the next few dates and times by visiting their meetup page HERE.) There's a few large scale yearly events that the Guild (and by extension, the Yarn Shoppe) host, like Yarn Along The Rockies, but they also crochet baby blankets for  Denver Health's neonatal unit and have a good time chatting about whatever's on everyone's hooks that day.

Kim, working on an afghan from a vintage pattern

As you can see, I could write endlessly about the myriad projects and talents of the guild, but because you and I both know this blog is getting a bit long, I'm going to finish by telling you a bit about some of the people involved.

First of all, I had a big surprise waiting for me when I walked into the area of the shop where the guild was busy crafting...

This lovely lady is Kim. We went to the same small rural college a decade or so ago, and haven't seen each other since. It was a lovely surprise to see her there and catch up, and also to find out she was a fellow yarn crafter!( I guess that isn't the kind of information you really share in a college dorm...) In the picture, she's working on a lovely stripy afghan--the pattern for which she reverse-engineered by studying an old vintage afghan. How cool is that?  Kim also showed some pics of some really cool hats and flags she's made with the Colorado state symbol on them.

I didn't get to take a very good picture of Rita, but I want to shout her out briefly here. She was absolutely lovely and should get the title of Guild greeter! I noticed she went around speaking to everyone and encouraging them, and she was one of the main reasons I personally felt so welcome at the event. Thanks Rita!!

I did manage to get a picture of these two ladies,the lovely Pam and Dorothy. Dorothy(who made that flowery scarf she's wearing herself) is the designer of Crochet Chameleon, a very pretty line including a lot of babywear and some intricate adult pieces such as the one she's wearing. Her daughter, Erika(who I also didn't get a good picture of -sad face-) is in charge of The Colorful Crafter, which features all kinds of funky colors and textures. Erika is a riot and a proud "lupus warrior"--please check out her and her mother's craft sites.

 

Please, SweetShoppers, check out these ladies work either in person at the shop or via their websites. Hopefully, I'll be featuring a few of them in future Monday interviews as well. That said, if there is one person I met that day who I will gladly chase to the ends of the earth to get an interview if I have to, it's this lady here; 

Marie of Wild Woman Designs

This is the lovely Marie Nevels of Wild Woman Designs, holding one of her original metal-free crochet jewelry designs. Yes, you read that right, crochet jewelry. I love it. She also makes a variety of blankets, scarves, baby clothes and so on. Marie is one of those people who is so instantly welcoming and inspiring that you immediately want to know more about her and what she does--definitely expect to see a feature on her and her work in the future. (Marie, if you're reading this...pretty please?) 

There were quite a few other people at the guild meeting but I only got a chance to really talk to these few. I will be going back next month before I head back across the waters, so hopefully I'll get to meet some new people and perhaps shout them out as well. In any case, I hope that those of you in the Denver area will head to the Yarn Shoppe and get involved, either by buying products from the very talented group of crafters who display their work there, soliciting Cassandra's services as a business consultant, or grabbing a hook and some yarn and joining in with some of the Guild's efforts.

To visit the Yarn Shoppe Studio, Bags By CAB, and see other local handmade knitwear displayed, visit in person at;

1777 Larimer Street, St 102

Denver, CO 

(one block away from the 16th Street Mall) 

You can also visit the website for the shop and Cassandra's personal brand at http://www.bagsbycab.com, or add them on Facebook HERE.

To find out more about the Denver Crochet Guild, visit their blog at http://yarnshoppestudio.blogspot.com/ or search for them on http://www.meetup.com.

To visit any of the other crafters mentioned here, check out the following links;  

Marie - Wild Woman Designs

Erika - The Colorful Crafter

Dorothy - Crochet Chameleon

All of these ladies also have their wares on display at the Yarn Shoppe 

If any other members of the guild or exhibitors at the Yarn Shoppe come across this, I apologize for omitting you - feel free to add your links in the comment section and I'll put them in a future post. 

Whew! A lot of information today, beautiful people, but I hope you found it interesting! Hope some Denver Metro crafters find their way into the shop or to a guild meeting soon! 

Peace beautiful people!

Kia from Chocolate Cherri Bomb Art; A SweetShop interview!

Happy Monday morning,  Sweetshoppers! For many of us, it’s the first week back after the new year, so Happy New Year to everyone as well. To get our crafty year started off right, we’re featuring yet another member of the SweetShop C.I.A (C.rafters I. A.dmire) here on the blog…the one and only Kia Beech of Chocolate Cherri Bomb Art!

This is Kia! You can buy that hat HERE.

I first became aware of Kia because we’re both members of  Etsy Artists of Color, but I started getting to know her a bit because she won a giveaway that I hosted way back when. Unfortunately, the giveaway went a bit wonky and the prize package got lost in the mail and I wound up having to send another pair of earrings out. Kia was extremely gracious about the process though, and I was so impressed by how understanding she was that I made a point of paying attention to her crafting skills and sites more closely.

I have to say, I’m glad I did. Kia is one of those rare and gifted omni-crafters—she does a little bit of everything, from painting to crocheting to jewelry-making and beyond—and she does it well. She’s a young, passionate crafter and I really love seeing the diversity of her creative output.

So, that said, let’s find out a little about Chocolate Cherri Bomb Art from Kia herself!!

Let's start with a really basic question today...who are you? Meaning, what's your name and your company's name? How did you pick that name? Tell me a little about yourself, how you got started and what you're up to now.
Well, my name is Kia Beech, and my company name is Chocolate Cherri Bomb. Under the company name I have different names for the different things I make! For instance, my body care is labeled Brown Honey B's (since I use honey in EVERYTHING for the body and my last name begins with a B) and my jewelry is labeled Thundering Rain. I came up with Chocolate Cherri Bomb back in high school. There was a store in the area where I loved to hang out called Cherry Bomb. I liked how powerful and little cherry bombs were, and I'm chocolate, so... that's how it started! 

I started crafting when I was little. I always loved to make things. I remember being five and making plastic bead jewelry for people! My father painted and did photography, so he began giving me pointers when I decided I wanted to try it out around age 12. I really got started in my teenage years because I hated spending money on things I felt I could craft myself. So I began making jewelry, crocheting, taking photos, and painting and others loved it, so I turned it into a business.

I still make things when I can, but I am now a new full-time labor and delivery nurse. So my art life is my second "job", but it's what I've always loved.

Wow, it sounds like you've got a lot on your plate. One of the things that fascinates me about you is that you are skilled at so many different types of craft. How did you get started doing all of these things? Do you have a favorite? And do you feel like your skills influence each other? So...do you sometimes paint using something you learned while crocheting as an inspiration, for example?

So many different things! Lets see...

"Love Is A Stronghold"; original painting by Kia Beech/Chocolate Cherri Bomb Art. Purchase HERE.

Painting; I was inspired to start by my dad, as I mentioned. But I didn't start hardcore painting until I went to college. I went through a rough breakup and someone suggested that I return to painting to channel the emotions. Ever since then, there was no going back. I paint from emotion, and also a lot of African American love inspires my work. My paintings are probably what I enjoy creating the most because so much of ME is in each piece. But it can be stressful getting it JUST right. 

Handmade beaded necklace; purchase HERE

Jewelry; I just love jewelry! It's my weakness! I love having something pretty adorn my wrists and neck, and I like sharing it with others. It's probably my second favorite to create and sell because its the fastest, and I buy everyone else's jewelry and rarely wear my own! Most of my jewelry is inspired by color, and certain stones and their metaphysical properties. I research what each stone is said to inspire and I incorporate that into each piece.

One of my favorite photography pieces by Chocolate Cherri Bomb.
Buy it in a set of three prints HERE.

Photography; I always had a camera. I looove to take pictures of everything! There's really no story behind that one... Dad just gave me a camera and I've been taking photos (nature and landscapes) ever since.

Crochet and knit; I like being warm and cozy, and being able to rock a hat in any color I choose if I give it just a few hours. Although I think the yarn work is stunning when finished, it is my least favorite to complete because its so time consuming and very taxing on my hands and wrists. 

The very creative Sweet Butter Grits exfoliator! Purchase HERE

Body care; This was inspired by my hatred for preservative and chemical-laden body products and not being able to find ANYTHING to work on my acne. I just went to the kitchen one day and began mixing ingredients, and after much trial and error, I got a pretty good handle on some products!

They don't really influence each other, but they are all inspired by something.

It sounds like your dad has been a big inspiration in your crafting life. Who are some of your other crafty inspirations and teachers?

One of my biggest painting inspirations is Christie Grant, a wonderful local artist who has so much vision and power behind each of her pieces. I have a whole collection of her work myself! My partner is also a huge inspiration and a huge supporter. He is the male figure in many of my nude and couple pieces, and he has just been great. My mom has supported me from the jump, and she helps me with packaging and shipping. She's the best!

We all need good support networks, and vision too! Tell me a little bit about where you hope to go with your crafting. Do you have any goals or hopes for the upcoming year?

I reeeeally hope one day to make this my job and not just a "side hustle". I would love to craft all day every day, and I do want to start devoting more time to more creating. I've started back on jewelry recently and it feels awesome, just gotta put the time in. I plan to paint more pieces, finally enter into some art shows and festivals, and show everyone what I'm about.

Another lovely photography piece; "The Lone Rubra". Purchase HERE.

Best of luck to you on that! Hopefully some of the people reading will support you by buying your fantastic art. One more question for today...what do you think is the most important thing that people get out of crafting(either as a hobby or a job). What do you think crafting has added to your life and adds to others?

Crafting, in a sense, gives me purpose. It keeps me sane! It's soothing and I feel like it's what I was made to do. When I give away art or jewelry or someone makes a purchase, it's like I'm giving them a piece of me because I put so much into everything I make. The receiver gets something made with love, and I get the satisfaction of making someone happy! THAT, not the money or fame, is the best thing a crafter can get out of crafting.

There you have it SweetShoppers--the one and only Kia Beech! Many thanks to Kia for sharing a little bit of herself in this interview. Please support her by visiting Chocolate Cherri Bomb at the following sites; 

Blog: brownhoneybee.blogspot.com

Etsy: chocolatecherribomb.etsy.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/chocolatecherribombart

Weebly: chocolatecherribomb.weebly.com

Pinterest: pinterest.com/afrodisia/

Peace, beautiful people! Don't forget to visit Chocolate Cherri Bomb Art!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays...

Photo courtesy of Ordinary Mommy Design

Merry Christmas SweetShoppers. Hope the holiday finds you all safe and warm and well.

If you want to know how to make those cool yarn Christmas trees in the photo above, check out Ordinary Mommy's blog entry HERE.

Peace on earth and goodwill to all you beautiful people!

Esra From Asoratti; Sweetshop Interview!

Happy Monday SweetShoppers! Last Monday's interview with Adrienne from Afro-Triangle was pretty well received, so I've decided to feature another member of the SweetShop C.I.A.(C.rafter I. A.dmire) on the blog this week...my friend and co-conspirator in all things crafty, Esra of Asoratti!


Before we get into the interview, I want to give a little bit of background on Esra. When I met her two years ago at a knitting group, she was a loom knitter, new to the city, but very interested in creating her own business. To toot my own horn a bit, I introduced her to etsy.com and it has been AMAZING to see what she's accomplished through sheer creativity and drive. In two years, Esra has taught herself to design in a variety of techniques aside from her original loomwork(including extreme knitting and crochet), built a truly formidable network of crafters in the Manchester area, and created not one, but TWO impressive, recognizable online knitwear brands. To put it bluntly, Esra is AMAZING and has certainly inspired me to step up my creative game and business savvy! If you're a beginner crafter trying to make a business out of your passions and hobbies, Esra is the lady to look to for connections and advice in Manchester. 

That said, let's find out a little bit of information about the lady of the hour herself...

She's the pretty lady in white. Photo credit; Mick Cookson

Hi Esra! You've been a long time friend of SweetShop Creations, but you've recently undergone a lot of changes. Can you tell me a little bit about who you are now and who you used to be?

Hi Mel, Thank you very much for this awesome opportunity! :) 

I used to be Knitella, which was a more playful simple brand and it looked very homey, made of just acrylic yarns. It was easier to start with it.  

Now, I am Asoratti. I design and make high quality handmade accessories, where everything is made with merino wool, 100% lambswool, or a blend of premium acrylic. 

Why did you decide to make the changes?

As I grew a little bit as an entrepreneur, my perspective changed, and my goals developed, so it had to be done :)   

What kinds of yarn and what kinds of pieces do you love to create the most?

My favorite kind now is merino wool, it gives really nice results, and it feels so soft. I enjoy making baby sets, the ones with headbands and slippers. 

Sparkling Princess headband and slipper set...an Asoratti original! Purchase this here.

I also love to make bow headbands. They are my best sellers by far. 

Another original...the Christmas Merino headband. Purchase it, and others here.

What sort of creative plans do you have for the future?

I would love to start making knitted/crocheted home accessories. That will be my next big step.  

What inspires you? What makes you want to run home and dive into a tub of yarn?

Yarn, different fashion trends, the seasons, seeing creative products--all of that inspires me. Not to mention the great sense of accomplishment I get when I finish a piece.  

Do you have any special events or promotions coming up that you want to talk about?

I haven't done any big events this year other than the brand re-launch last month, but I always do giveaways every once in a while, so keep an eye on the newsletter
http://www.asoratti.com/newsletter-subscription-12-w.asp

and on the FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/Asoratti

So there you have it, folks! A brief but very informational interview with Asoratti. If you want more info on Esra or her brand, or if you want to purchase some of her items, check out the links below. 

Shop:  www.asoratti.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Asoratti

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Asoratti

You can also find Esra on Tumblr, G+, StumbleUpon, Pinterest and Instagram. Just search for the username  Asoratti

Thanks for the interview Esra, and happy holiday sales to you. 

Peace beautiful people! Keep your eyes on the blog for more interviews!

Adrienne from Afro Triangle Designs: An Interview with one of the SweetShop C.I.A.(C.rafter I. A.dmire)

If you follow SweetShop Creations on Facebook, you’ll know that I often post about a select group of  awesome artists, crafters, and designers that I like to call the SweetShop C.I.A.(C.rafters I. A.dmire.) Usually my admiration extends to a reblog, a Facebook photo of an incredible piece of work that they've done, and sometimes a reciprocal “like” from the object of my obsession admiration, but that’s it.

So you can imagine how excited I was I got the chance to actually meet up with Adrienne Norris of Afro Triangle Designs and talk shop. I’ve known Adrienne for a few years—we swing through a few of the same social circles in Denver and have a few mutual friends--but we’ve never really gotten a chance to talk art and business in depth before.

I’m a firm believer in networking and promoting other people's brilliance, so I asked Adrienne if I could share an interview with her here at the SweetShop blog and she agreed. So, without further ado, SweetShoppers, I present to you...Adrienne Norris of Afro Triangle Designs!

Image courtesy of Adrienne Norris. Shirt available for purchase here

Welcome Adrienne! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where are you from, where are you now, where are you going, that sort of thing?

Well, I was born on the island of Barbados (which is in the Caribbean, for those who don’t know) and came to the US when I was 5. I lived in New York with my mom, grandmother and brothers until I was about 12, when we moved to New Mexico to live on the international school campus my dad taught at, the Armand Hammer United World College. So I’m Bajan by birth, but American by culture.

When I was 17, I had the opportunity to attend the United World College of the Adriatic in Italy, which is part of the family of international schools I grew up in. What should have been a two year experience turned into only one, though. I mean, it was Italy and I was 17. Studying just wasn't a priority. So I had a chance to start over at the school in New Mexico where I graduated with my International Baccalaureate degree.

After that, I joined the Marines to be an Arabic linguist and spent 5 years doing what people told me (sort of) and translating “things” from Arabic to English. Sorry, if I gave you more details, I’d have to kill you. ;)

These days, I’m working as a freelance artist here in Denver, designing t-shirts, business cards, logos, as well as drawing and painting portraits when I can. I would love for portrait painting to be my primary source of income.

Can you tell us a little bit about how your life inspires your art?

People fascinate me. I think that’s why I love drawing faces so much. We all have the same five features – two eyes, a nose, a mouth – but they can be configured in so many different ways to make each face we see so incredibly unique that even twins who share almost identical genes, can look different from one another.

I am also amazed by what the human body is capable of whether it’s pull-ups, hand stands, or flips. That we can use our muscles to create enough momentum to launch ourselves into the air is astounding to me.
(Blogger's note; Adrienne hasn't mentioned this, but she's also a very capable capoeira  practioner!)

And tell us about the art, too. What are you working on now? What is your artistic background? What's your medium?

I would say that a lot of what I love creating most, the portraits, is self-taught. I remember sitting for hours on guard duty sketching faces from magazines, photographs, even military ID cards in an effort to master capturing a likeness. That doesn't mean I didn't have formal training, though.

I took a number of art classes during my early school years, and after leaving the Service, I attended the Art Institute of Colorado for my degree in Media Arts and Animation. This opened the doors of the digital art world and has allowed me to earn money as a graphic designer.

As far as medium goes, I love pen and ink, watercolor, and acrylic paint, each for different reasons. I call ink drawing the strategic placement of lines. I love the challenge of creating depth in an image using lines alone, though there is no such thing as a line in nature.

I love the delicacy of watercolor, a medium that has a mind of its own, that lends a certain brightness to your subject when you’re done.

And I love the traditional look I can achieve with acrylic. The thicker medium calls to mind most peoples’ idea of what a painting “should” look like. 

An Afro-Triangle original watercolor portrait. Find out more here.

Do you feel your art connects the different cultural and social influences in your life? Can you tell us more about how if it does?

I think it does. My tendency is to draw or paint realistically, so most of my work is based on photographs. Most of these have been photos I have taken myself, of friends or of people in a place I happened to be.

I think I also capture the universality of what it is to be human. I love painting expression and no matter where you are in the world, what your cultural background, our expressions hold the same meanings. A frown means you’re unhappy about something, a smile expresses joy. We are all working with the same five features.

What's your favorite work of art(either by yourself or someone else)?

It’s so hard to pin down one specific piece… Yeah, I’m gonna have to pass.

Can you tell us a little about your etsy shop? What kinds of items are available there?(Quick note, SweetShoppers...etsy is an online craft and design bazaar. If you don't know about it, you should!)

I am very new to Etsy, so my shop is still growing. Portraits are the main listing right now. I offer custom portraits in a variety of media, as well as a series of what I call Geek-tastic celebrity portraits in which I have drawn characters from my favorite sci-fi/fantasy television shows and movies. There are also a few of the t-shirts I have designed and printed so far.

Any Supernatural fans in the house? Purchase this one and more like it here

Have you got any live exhibitions coming up soon? Can you tell us anything about that?

Glad you asked! I have a show starting on January 1st at  Love Sick Ink, a tattoo parlor off Broadway and Iliff.  It runs until January 31st and it would be great to see new people there. Keep an eye on the Afro Triangle Facebook page and website for more information.

So there you have it, SweetShoppers--hope you enjoyed being introduced to Adrienne as much as I enjoyed doing the interview. If you want to know more, check out the official Afro Triangle Designs website HERE and like and follow on Facebook HERE. If you want to purchase your very own Afro Triangle Designs shirt or portrait, check out the etsy shop HERE. There's also some very cool shirts available to purchase only on the official site. Many thanks to Adrienne for your time and best of luck with your future art and business!