new in my etsy shop

Hello! It's been a few days since I last blogged about the time-intensive, yet highly rewarding process of making my eco wreath ornaments. Now I'd like to share with you a few eco pincushions and eco sachets that I've recently added to my collection....all handcrafted and hand sewn by me, with care.

My eco pincushions are unique in that they are larger than your average-sized pincushion, made from earth-friendly materials, and emit a soothing aromatic scent when pierced with needles and pins -- thanks to the surprise ingredient of lavender! Some even incorporate textiles I've dyed using natural colorants such as wine and coffee.







My eco sachets are highly fragrant -- just what they should be -- to fill your home with the special scent of balsam this holiday season. Hang one in from your mantel, a doorknob, or archway (in lieu of mistletoe). Each is filled with a generous amount of balsam fir needles and eco-friendly buckwheat hulls and includes a 7" 100% cotton twill tape loop for hanging. Some sachets are adorned with seasonal sayings while others showcase hand "drawn" designs (top stitched using my sewing machine).





I invite you to visit my Etsy shop -- perhaps you'll find a gem or two for the holidays.

Cheers, Mandy

the making of my eco wreath holiday ornaments

I've had a ton of fun this past month block printing and sewing up a batch of these wreath-adorned "pillow" ornaments that are now available in my Etsy shop.

I followed in the footsteps of my mom's own merry ornament making back in the mid-70s using my stash of eco fabrics.

The process is labor-intensive, but well worth the outcome.

my choice of eco-friendly fabics

I start by washing my fabrics because the laundering process makes them softer -- the design aesthetic I'm going for! My designs incorporate these earth-friendly and sustainable-crop fabrics (pictured above left to right):

• hemp/soy (deep olive)
• organic linen (beige)
• hemp/organic cotton (ivory)

me hand stamping individual "Boxwood with Berries" wreath prints on ivory hemp/organic cotton

I then roll a coating of non-toxic water based ink onto the block print and hand stamp wreaths, one by one, across yards of fabric. I allow ample time for the ink to dry and then heat set the ink before cutting.

My five eco wreath ornament ink + fabric combinations

circles of wreath fabric panels just waiting to be transformed into my "pillow" ornaments

Next, I cut out circles of block printed fabric as well as ivory hemp/organic cotton that will become the back panel of every ornament. Cutting the ivory fabric reminded me of cutting out buttermilk biscuits - fantastic!

raw kapok fibers

The final part involves sewing two panels of fabric together using two rows of top stitching and then stuffing each ornament with environmentally-friendly premium kapok fibers to give each their "pillow" shape. I chose kapok for it's super resilient qualities, the fact that it is grown without the use of chemicals or herbicides, and how it is sustainably harvested from the kapok tree. A loop of hemp twine completes the design and makes for easy hanging. Ornaments are sold individually and also in a set (5).

I hope you've enjoyed this peek into my artisan process. Cheers and happy holidays!

complete set of "Boxwood with Berries" wreath eco holiday ornaments

open, please come in...

set of 5 "Boxwood with Berries" wreath eco holiday ornaments

I'm delighted to announce the opening of my Etsy shop. Here you'll find a variety of earth-friendly holiday ornaments, sachets and pincushions, all handmade by me with care. Please look around and post a comment below to tell me what you think. Thanks for your encouragement along the way. Cheers!

garnet boxwood wreath eco holiday ornament - ivory hemp/organic cotton

sable boxwood wreath eco holiday ornament - beige organic linen

fragrant balsam fir eco holiday sachet - peace

wine-stained eco pincushion with top stitching + lavender and kapok filling

several irons in the fire

staining hemp/organic cotton with coffee -- a staple in g-grandma Relda's kitchen no doubt

Mom recently asked if I'd been working on my first-in-a-very-long-time series of oil paintings. My reply was "yes" and that I'm "thrilled" with the final presentation that I have planned in the coming months. However, since oil paints take time to cure properly, I'm also working on a number of projects fitting for the holidays, brides and crafters alike. You could say that I have several irons in the fire...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

coffee and wine-stained hemp/organic cotton (ivory, unstained center)

coffee-stained hemp/silk charmeuse (ivory, unstained on right)

wine-stained hemp/silk charmeuse (ivory, unstained on left)

This week I've been experimenting with natural dyes, intentional fraying, and top stitching my stash of eco textiles (hemp/organic cotton, hemp/soy and hemp/silk charmeuse). I've absolutely fallen in love with the resulting colors that coffee and wine stains create and the patterns I'm coming up with...some tidy, others random and abstract. Oh I do hope you like! I've also been working with kapok, buckwheat hulls and 100% organic cotton twill tape. Stay tuned for my Etsy shop's grand opening announcement. In the meantime, I'm headed back to the studio and starting my search for an Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp Buddy. Cheers!

relda, velda and my etsy holiday mission

Part of my "duty" as a participant in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp is to write a mission statement that will give me a sense of focus and help guide me through all the anti-calm of the season. I am thankful for this.

The exercise was relatively easy for me because I have just recently declared my artistic purpose and started sharing my thoughts and work through this blog. Since I am clear of what I want and what I need to do as an artist, creating a mission statement for selling my work came naturally. Danielle's link to Seth Godin's blog post, The Hierarchy of Success, was also very helpful -- thank you Danielle!

But before I state my Etsy mission, I should first introduce you to two very special women who inspire my work as an artist: my maternal great-grandmothers Relda and Velda. I will blog about another highly influential woman, my mother Relda Jane, in a later post.

This is my great-grandma Relda Mae Carpenter Fossett (my mother's namesake).

She raised eleven children.

This is my great-grandma Velda Boles at a family picnic on the prairies of Kansas. She is standing in front of the tarpaulin on the far right.

Secondly, you should also know that I have a strong affinity for the old ways and timeworn objects. Back in the early 1900s when my great-grandparents and their parents homesteaded in this country, they lived off the land and relied upon each other to survive. They had to be creative and industrious with what little they had. Many people took on apprenticeships to master traditional crafts like tool making, textile production, soap and candle making, and much more as so beautifully described in John Seymours' The Forgotten Crafts (I have a copy on my bedside table). The point I'm trying to make here is that all these creations and processes exuded quality, durability, and in my opinion, beauty.

So what's this have to do with my Etsy holiday mission? A lot!

My mission this holiday season is to create little pieces of art and handmade goods that embody the ingenuity and resilience of my great-grandmothers, Relda and Velda. To only offer goods that are not mass-produced, but rather one-of-a-kind creations these ladies would be proud of. And use earth-friendly materials and sustainable practices whenever possible...hopefully teaching my daughters the value of craftsmanship along the way.

getting my creative on

a fresh batch of my block-printed eco textiles

It was a rare day here in Seattle. The sun was shining and I had the entire house to myself. No, I didn't catch up on housework or laundry. Instead, I selfishly got my "creative" on by stamping a batch of eco textiles for the holidays and mordanting fabrics for an upcoming woad project that I'm absolutely giddy over. Lots of discoveries; plenty of production. I'd say it was a really great day.

etsy success holiday boot camp

my hand-carved "Boxwood with Berries" block print

This morning I'm reporting for duty....Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp duty that is!

Yes, in the midst of working on a series of oil paintings and discovering the beauty of dyeing textiles with woad, I've decided to use up some lovely sustainable-crop textile remnants and a treasured hand-carved block print of mine to create some holiday ornaments and accessories my great-great grandmother would be proud of. All the art I create pays homage to the resilience and ingenuity my ancestors displayed as they homesteaded on the prairies of Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico.

As a participant, I am asked to pledge my commitment to helping fellow artisans rock the holiday season by sharing ideas and encouragement. See my pledge below.

In the meantime, I will give you a peek at some of the materials I'll be using for my eco goodies. I'll post more photos as they become available. Cheers to Danielle, Etsy -- thank you for the inspiration. Happy holidays!

100% organic cotton thread

block printed hemp/organic cotton + organic linen textiles (non-toxic ink)

I, Mandy Behrens, pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities. I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers. I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot. I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude. I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!