So, What Did You Find?

So, when you looked at the picture in the last blog post, what did you find? (Click HERE  for the initial blog with the photo, or scroll down a little on the main page.) Did you see anything that made you have second thoughts about crafting with a Special Needs Kid in the house? Anything that made you feel tense?

Add a comment, and I'll post it in the body of this post. Once we have a good number listed, we'll start going over them. Are you game?

Ready? Set? Tell me! :)


(Ok, in all fairness, in the US and Canada, this is a big vacation week, so I'll let this run for a good week or more before we delve into the details. Sound good?)

Creating With Special Needs Kids In the House – a New Series

This spring, I had a wonderful chat with Mark Lipinksi, and was also honored to be a guest on his radio talk show, Creative Mojo, where we talked about staying creative with a special needs kid in the house. As most of you know, I’m the mom of a Super Special daughter, who just happens to have Asperger’s Syndrome, as well as Sensory Processing Disorder. But, you may not know that Mark, who is a fantastic quilter and phenomenal person, is a special needs dad, himself.  Although our kids have different concerns, there is most definitely overlap when it comes to parenting issues, as well as crafting and the creative process.

We also agreed this subject needs more attention.

So, I’m starting a fantastic new series, which will be sprinkled among my regular blog posts, called, “Creating with Special Needs Kids in the House”, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it!

Why the enthusiasm?

Well, why not? After all, it’s summer (ok, winter for my Australian friends!), and the perfect time to introduce kids to all sorts of crafting, quilting, etc., and the Arts! First, let’s take a moment to be honest, here, and do some fessing up; so many of us have a special needs kid in the house and we may not feel comfortable pulling out the play dough. Or, heaven forbid, paint.

And don’t even mention scissors…

Especially to my sister, whom I gave a haircut to way back when plaid and polyester paisleys actually went together.

“Yee gawds,” you must be thinking, “is there enough cleaner in the world to fix the inevitable chaos following my child’s creative process?”

Relax. We’re going to have fun. Trust me. (We’ll deal with the inevitable messes later.)

Are you asking yourself, “Does she mean crafting with my kid? Or does she mean how having a special needs kid under the roof affects my creative moments? I’m a little confused. I thought this was about me. Or is it about them?”

I mean both. Even with a child with good fine motor skills, there can be concerns when she works with certain tools. And, let’s be honest, for those of us who create for a living, a meltdown in the family room can really ding our personal creative energies.

There is so much to say about the subject, which is why this is going to be a series, rather than a blog plopped here for “blogging day”. For instance, we’ll cover things such as how to find time to create, keeping your child’s weaknesses (and strengths – don’t forget those!) in mind, as well as general safety. And, just like my Facebook page for “Asperger’s in Pink”, I want this to be an interactive series. I value your input as well as your insight. We learn best when we learn from each other, don’t we?

Are you ready?

First assignment, if you will (ok, I know school is finally out, and the last words you probably want to hear are “homework” or “assignment” – or that even uglier words, “test”…), is waiting for you. Look at the image from my studio and see how many hazards you can find. Depending on your child(ren), your answers will likely vary, and that’s ok. Feel free to post them in the “Comments” section, and I’ll reveal my own answers next time. And I’ll bet you see some I’m missing. So, are you in? Let’s do it!

Ready?

Set.

GO!

Get to Know Faded Leaves, A Talented Artisan who Offers Autism Awareness Pieces

Each month, an artisan will be featured here. The artisan will have some connection to either autism or the special needs community, in general. For the first in this series, I present to you Shannon, owner of Faded Leaves. I chose her not only for her unique, handmade, customizable Autism Awareness line of products, but also for her stellar reputation at ArtFire. I believe you will enjoy getting to know her as much as I have.

Welome, Shannon!

For those who may not be familiar with you and your studio, tell us a little bit about yourself and "Faded Leaves".

My name is Shannon and I am a very outgoing person who loves what I do. My 'other' job is being a nurse. I love working with people and helping them feel better. I am married to a man who is in the military and I love every second of my life with him. Our furbaby is a West Highland Terrier Mix dog named Icicle, who is a ball of energy! She keeps me busy on my days off. Faded Leaves is the name of my shop. I have always enjoyed making things so it was only natural that I would start selling eventually. My husband really encouraged me to start selling the things that I was making because he really thought people would enjoy them. With his encouragement, I went back to school and got a degree in Jewelry Design.

Beach Necklace by Faded Leaves

I just finished that program in March. It really helped me evolve my designs. While doing that, I started researching places online to sell my items. I initially looked into Etsy since I had heard of that venue in the past. After reading their TOS, I decided that venue just wasn’t for me. After more searching I found ArtFire. I stalked the forums for about 2 months and I read everything I could find about the site. I made my decision shortly after finding ArtFire to go with them. I was going to officially start my business in 2011 but after learning about ArtFire's awesome deal last fall, I took the plunge and that’s when Faded Leaves was born! I have loved every minute of it, and hope to make it my full-time career. Despite a HUGE learning curve when starting your own business, I feel that I am doing very well. I love seeing people so happy when they purchase an item of mine. :)

Your passion for what you do shines through. Personally, I absolutely love your Autism Awareness pieces! What is your inspiration for those?

Thank you! My inspiration comes from my past. When I was going to nursing school, I worked at a center for Developmentally Disabled individuals. One of my "favorite" clients was a young autistic boy.

Autism Awareness Necklace by Faded Leaves

He had made a lot of progress from what I understood and was now able to be in the same room with a bunch of other people. I loved working with him and seeing all the strides he made. When I graduated school, I got a job in a far away city and I find myself wondering often how he’s doing now. Making these pieces helps to honor his memory and to create awareness in the world around us. There is definitely a need to create awareness for Autism and help people understand what it is all about. :)

So many pieces out there are generic, “one size fits all”. For those who want that special, personal touch, do you offer custom work/personalization?

Yes I do custom work and personalization. I make a hand stamped Autism Awareness necklace that you can customize with the name/initials of the child you are supporting and I also make a necklacethat is a small picture frame. One side holds a picture of your child and the other has an Autism Awareness ribbon in it. Both come with cubed crystals that are red, blue, and yellow, adding a touch of sparkle to the necklace. I also willing to try anything your imagination can come up with. I love a challenge and love working with my clients to help them create that one of kind special piece.

As you know, my daughter is on the Autism Spectrum, which makes awareness and understanding very personal for me. Why is Autism Awareness special to you? Is there one thing about autism that you think is important for others to understand?
As I said before I support Autism Awareness because of my past of working with autistic children. I think the one thing people need to be aware of regarding Autism is that the child is still normal. They react differently to situations than we would, but that doesn’t make them different. So many people look at them like they are different and it’s so disheartening. The reactions I got from people when I would go out in public with my clients was just sad. I hope that by selling these pieces that awareness will be increased and the stigma will dissipate.

As I mention in my book, life consists of so many different things, and autism is just one part. Your work also consists of more than just Autism Awareness pieces - and jewelry! Would you mind sharing with us a little about your other handcrafted items?

Giraffe Bookmark by Faded Leaves

I like to make an eclectic array of items. I love love love to cross stitch  and I have incorporated that love into cards, gift tags, and ornaments. A lot of the items are soon to be seasonal only so you will only be able to get them closer to special occasions/holidays, like Christmas. I also make gift bows using colorful ribbon that I love and I hope everyone else does, too. I have ones for pretty much any occasion you can think of. I also make non autism awareness pieces as well. Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, etc. I love creating!

I share your passion for creating so many different types of things! In fact, I recently decided to streamline my own studio, and the transition is almost complete. I understand your studio is entering a new, exciting phase, too. Tell us all about it!

Yes, I am entering a new phase! I’m so excited about it! I am slowly transitioning out all my current designs and replacing the silver plated/gold plated chains etc with sterling silver, copper, and occasionally gold filled if anyone wants that. I, myself, do not care for gold so I tend to use silver mainly.  I have also switched over to mainly freshwater pearls, crystals, and gemstones. I will still use other types of beads on occasion if I believe they will fit better into my design or if requested in a custom design. I also am doing more hand stamping. I am widening my line and making more custom pieces. I love hand stamping and making custom pieces for my clients. For sneak peeks of my new lines and specials, find me on Facebook!

Where can readers connect with you, and see your wonderful work?

Readers can find me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FadedLeaves), Twitter (@FadedLeaves), ArtFire (www.fadedleaves.artfire.com), email me at fadedleaves2010@yahoo.com requesting custom orders, or follow my pictures on Flickr (www.flickr.com/photos/FadedLeaves)

For those who might be interested in purchasing any of your pieces, I understand jewelry can be tricky to mail overseas, due to various regulations, etc. Which countries outside the USA do you ship to right now?

Yes shipping overseas can be tricky.  I currently ship to the UK, Canada, Australia, and obviously the US. I will ship any of my items to any of those countries as long as it’s not restricted by that country. :)

Is there anything else you would like to say? :)

I just want to thank you for this opportunity to talk about my passion for Autism and my business Faded Leaves. It was such a delight talking to you and all your readers. <3 Shannon

Last question, just for fun! What is your favorite dessert? 

My favorite dessert of all time would have to be pumpkin pie! I could eat it every day, though of course then I would weigh a million pounds.

Thanks so much, Shannon! It is such a pleasure to have you here on Julie Clark Art – the blog!

Talking ArtFire While I Wait for my Husband to Blog

My husband is an excellent writer, and I’ve somehow roped him into writing a post for the blog. But he’s been busy, and hasn’t had much of a chance to sit down and do one yet.

Despite my reminders.

Or, in plain English: nagging.

While I wait, I wanted to switch gears a little and tell you about a side of my art business, in case you’ve ever debated doing the same sort of thing. It’s pretty exciting to consider myself a “business woman”, but my husband, as supportive as he’s been about this venture, will be even more excited if  it ever pays the mortgage off. :)

Like many “mompreneurs”, I started my business online, and, boy, was there a lot to learn – and there still is! There are tons of venues out there to sell on, and I continue to explore them, but I must say I have no regrets on starting out on ArtFire.com, so wanted to share a little about it with you in case you aren’t quite sure if it would work for you. ArtFire really was a shot in the dark, as I wasn’t familiar with selling online at all – or even in person. But I love it there!

Why, you ask? Oh, you didn’t? Well, you know me, I’m gonna tell you anyway. But since I’m so often verbose, I’m going to just keep it to five fave reasons. Ready?

1.       The cost. There are two studio options to choose from in order to sell on ArtFire, known as “PRO” and “Basic”, and I have one of each. What’s the difference? (Click on the links for examples of each.)

a.      For a PRO account, there is a monthly fee – but that covers everything. Whether you list one or one thousand items, there are no listing fees, and they never have to be renewed. If you make any sales, you don’t pay any extra. This makes it easy to just create and list, as you always know what your bill is going to be at the end of the month.

b.      A Basic studio is free – no listing or selling fees at all. No kidding. But there are differences, such as fewer seller tools available, plus your studio will have ads placed next to your items. And I’ll be honest, they can be tacky. But, hey, it’s a great way to start out, especially if funds are super tight.

2.      My opinion matters. My goodness, can you believe ArtFire actually wants my feedback? Ok, not just mine, but from all sellers? The “admin” is always around, and isn’t above stepping into discussions. You may not always agree with them, but they are very present and accessible.

3.      ArtFire is like business school in a box. Tony, who is the main “face” we see, COO, and marketing guru, is always providing tips on how to become successful with our businesses. I haven’t always liked what I’ve learned, but he’s been right so far, which works for me.

4.      The Collection of the Day! Oh, I just love these! They are one mass email mailing that I actually open up each time it lands in my inbox. It showcases a dozen beautiful items from fellow artisans, and is such a bright spot in the day. (Click here to sign up for them.)

5.      It continues to move forward. As the online world spins faster than the speed of light, change (which folks like me rarely embrace!) is survival. ArtFire is not one to keep things “as is”, but keeps progressing, which is necessary for any ecommerce platform.

So, that’s part of the non-Asperger side of my life. But it’s also an important one to me. My daughter is looking to join up, as well, hoping to earn some money towards college. If she does, I need to remember to use this link when she signs up, as she’ll get her 3^rd month free, if she chooses a PRO studio. (Actually anyone can click on it and use it.)

If you have any questions about ArtFire, feel free to ask. I do sell on a few other venues, but ArtFire has worked best for me so far. As always, I’d love your thoughts! And there's a poll -->>> if you'd like to take it, too!