Get to know Mandy of M. Giehll Creations

Steel Town Etsy is pleased to present Mandy Giehll of M. Giehll Creations. Lover of mixing and matching different colors and textures and of all things handmade, Mandy's shop is brimming with eye candy. "Etsy allows me to combine all of these things I love," she states in her profile and her offerings show off her diverse interests. Get to know a little more about Mandy and her incredible work below...

Tell us a bit about yourself: name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

Hello, my name is Mandy. I am married to my college sweetheart Matt and we have a two year old son named Jackson. I've lived in Western, Pa all my life. I grew up in a small town called Oil City. I graduated from Mercyhurst College in Erie in 2003 and moved to Pittsburgh a few years later. We live in the South Hills which is where my husband grew up. I love all things handmade. I have to credit my mom for my love of crafts and vintage things. I have such great memories growing up and going to local craft shows and antique shops with her all the time.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Besides being a mom to an awesome little boy :)... I am a part time bartender at the Sharp Edge Brasserie and have really come to appreciate good beer. I love to spend time outside with my family and friends. I love the summer and fall. It also seems like someone is always having a picnic or BBQ. There is always a festival or fair to go to. And I love sitting by a camp fire and enjoying good company.

What first made you want to become an artist?

I really have never thought of my self as an artist, just creative. Throughout my life I have always had a creative outlet of some sort. I was a dancer from the age of three right through college. I started making hemp jewelry one summer to make some extra cash. Then when we were planning our wedding, I decided to make the centerpieces for the reception, which turned into topiaries. My latest creative outlet is my wrapped bangle bracelets. I love making them!

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

My creative process is pretty random. When it comes to the bracelets, I never know what they are going to turn out like. I usually pick up a few strands of yarn and start wrapping. Sometimes I like how they turn out... sometimes not so much, so I start over again. I make a lot of my things while my son is napping or late at night. It is my way of unwinding for a bit. I love working with silk flowers, hemp, yarns, beads. I also love photography and plan to dedicate some more time to it this summer.

Name your top five places to be in the Pittsburgh area, books/authors, movies/TV shows, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

1. The North Shore for a Steelers Game...there is nothing like the atmosphere there during a tailgate party before the big game. So much fun and half the time its with people you don't even know.

2. View through the Fort Pitt Tunnels....every time I drive through the tunnels coming from the South Hills I feel like I should take a picture!

3. Primantis...nuff said.

4. Kennywood Park....an awesome park with such an old time feel. A great place to spend a hot summer night.

5. First Niagra Pavillion...or as I call it "Star Lake". I love going there for a great concert. Lawn seats are reasonable and it's always a fun time with friends.

What advice would you give to artists who are new to the Pittsburgh craft scene?

Just go for! I am as new as you get :) I am hoping to participate in my first craft event in the coming months. I really try to spread the word about Etsy to anyone I know who is an artist. It is such a user friendly way to share and sell your art. It's also very inspiring.

What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

I love the alchemy feature. I love making custom orders and also putting out bids for things I cannot find anywhere else. The treasury is fun too, I just wish I could make more of them....always seems like its full.

How do you promote your work?

I do a lot of promoting through my Facebook Fan Page. I have great family and friends who keep the word of mouth going too! I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at self-promotion. Come to think of it....I need to make those business cards.

In five years I'd like to be...

Still happily married with a little brother or sister for Jackson. And, of course, still fueling my creative outlets. I also would like to devote more time to my photography.

Thanks for your time, Mandy! Check out M. Giehll Creations at http://mandygiehll.etsy.com

M. Giehll Creations was also recently featured at the Daily Diva Dish. Take a peek: http://dailydivadish.com/2010/02/17/etsy-find/

We're thrilled to have you as a part of the STE team!

A Treasury of Steel Town Handmade!

Check out this array of handmade awesomeness from Etsy Pittsburgh's Steel Town crafters!

your parade is doomed mini tote-SALE

by bbkbags

P is for Panda - hand screenprinted alphabet print

by strawberryluna

The Weight

by maudesplace

Bloom 1974 Calendar Towel Sling Purse

by VintageHotcakes

Ascen - Earrings

by CERCAjewelry

The Kindly Beekeeper Dancing Jack Necklace

by charmedbynature

SIMPLY SEAGLASS BEACHGLASS BANGLE BRACELET

by beachglassgonewild

Custom Wirewrap Pendant

by octarine

Cutter Quilt Teddy Bear

by lazypeas

Curious Rat

by hairycarrot

Original - Akimbo

by wandamarie

Rose 2005, 8 X 10

by 19Moons

Bettie Page Leopard Print Swimsuit Image Earrings

by BarkerBell

Sweet Pink- Original Chinese Brush Painting

by silentlotus

To see more handmade creations from our Pittsburgh artisans, check out our team's Etsy shop!

Pittsburgh's Crafty Scene: I Made It! Market on Vid!

Pittsburgh, PA's indie craft community is unique in it's richness, visibility, connectedness, intitiative, and commitment to supporting local artisans and all things handmade. A huge force in the 'Burgh's crafty scene is the I Made It! Market, the area's only "nomadic" indie arts & crafts market, which sets up in different city neighborhoods several times throughout the year. By doing so, and by partnering with organizations and venues sharing a similar vision, I Made It! seeks to connect Pittsburgh and surrounding communities with the economic and cultural vitality of local arts, artisans, and the craft scene. I Made It! was founded by Carrie Nardini (a former Etsy Pittsburgh member- yay!), a powerhouse in the local Handmade Revolution who has made Craftivism and supporting area artisans the "cool" thing to do, while creating a strong presence and following for the market and those like it.

Check out this nifty vid by KeystoneEdge featuring Carrie (and and several of us Etsy Pittsburghers) at a recent I Made It!. Look for Lynne, me, and Tam there in the background vending. :)

Etsy Pittsburgh's Own Brooklyn Four Invade Artists & Fleas and the Market at McCarren

This past weekend, the "Brooklyn Four" (so named in honor of the Fox Force Five) took a road trip to sell their crafty wares at both the Artists & Fleas Market and the Market at McCarren. Although sales weren't as good as hoped, we all sold a few things, gave out some business cards, and met many wonderfully interesting people.

We arrived early enough to enjoy a breakfast of fresh baked pastries from the Baker's Bounty stand and to enjoy a stroll around the greenmarket. Jenn (aka hairycarrot) and I (aka BarkerBell) spent the day outside at the park and had fairly good traffic past our tent all day. It had rained almost every day for the past two weeks in NYC so everyone seemed to just want to be outside enjoying the nice day.

Sadly, there was a street fair near the Artists and Fleas Market on 6th and not many people wandered inside to the market so Lynne (aka Charmed By Nature) and Niffer (aka 19 Moons) didn't have as heavy traffic as McCarren Park did.

We had gorgeous weather, around 82, sunny, with a light breeze up until we were about finished packing up at the end of the day when a summer downpour began. Fortunately our tent was still up at the time so we were able to stay mostly dry. The storm ended as soon as it began leaving a rainbow over Brooklyn. After we packed the van for our trip home, we enjoyed a delicious and well earned dinner at Tai Thai, on Bedford Avenue, near 6th.

It was a wonderful experience, great chance to gauge trends for the items we all make, and a great chance to get to know other team members better. Thanks to the other members of the "Brooklyn Four" for a memorable trip. Pictures from our trip are available on Flickr.

Etsy Pittsburgh Team Invading Artists & Fleas Market June 27, 2009

The end of June, the Etsy Pittsburgh Street Team will be taking a road trip to Brooklyn, NY to vend at the Artists and Fleas Market.

Participating Members include:

Charmed By Nature offers handcrafted jewelry with a sense of humor. Celebrate this colorful season with a piece of jewelry that reflects your love of nature and fun! Each of the leaves in my leaf necklaces is hand molded in clay using a real leaf. * no bugs were harmed in the making of my necklaces - they were sculpted from scratch...:)

Funvelopes offers fun envelopes, hence the name. Each funvelope is made from found paper and matched with a sheet of stationery (salvaged) & stamped with an matching image from my vast collection of rubber stamps. (Proof that she didn't fritter the 80's away doing something silly - she collected rubber stamps).Each funvelope are made by a person and not a machine. She even uses lick and stick glue on the flaps so you can seal them up.

BarkerBell offers a number of artistically created unique items. She combines vintage images and other favorites from the past with current trends and recycles and repurposes items whenever possible, creating many Steampunk, altered art, vintage image, & upcycled items.

Silentlotus has a deep fondness and appreciation for gems and minerals which makes creating with them a very spiritual process for her. She loves to blend them with sterling silver and pure brass because it enhances both the beauty and the properties of the stones.

19 Moons limited edition jewelry incorporates vintage and recycled materials to create wares that are both unique & eco-friendly. Your source for original Steampunk, Neo-Victorian, Retro & Industrial designs.

The team will have space inside the market as well as outside at McCarren park on Saturday, June 27th.

If you're in the New York area, take advantage of the opportunity to stop by, say hello, and perhaps even buy a unique item direct from one of the artists.

Introducing Sunstone Soap! Friday's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

Welcome to the special Thanksgiving holiday weekend edition of the Etsy Pittsburgh CityCraft blog artist features! Due to illness in the family (first my youngest son who kindly shared with the rest of the family) and the Thanksgiving holiday, blog entries are a bit behind so I'm issuing multiple artist features to get caught up.

I'm pleased to introduce you to the third of these featured CityCraft artists - Sunstone Soap.

Kim Piper, of Sunstone Soap, says she makes "over 25 body soaps, face soaps, and Fluffy Puppy soap. In addition to this, we offer a growing product line that includes: body scrubs, facial toner and oils, shea cream, salves, mists, massage bars and oils, bath salts, and lip balms."

From her website: "Welcome to our store! Handmade Sunstone Soaps are a natural blend of plant oils and fragrances, colors and exfoliates. Unlike mass-produced commercial soap bars, these hand-crafted soaps do not contain animal fats, hardeners, deodorants or chemicals that can be drying to your skin. Sunstone Soaps retain all of their natural glycerin moisturizers making them especially gentle on your skin.

Our products are made without animal testing. Products have been tested on family and friends only. A portion of all proceeds are donated to animal welfare organizations or FSMA."

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Sunstone Soap along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing River Rats! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

I'm pleased to introduce you to today's featured CityCraft artist - River Rats!

Stacey Magda, founder of River Rats Designs, says she makes "uniquely recycled handmade hanging sculptures, mobiles, sun-catchers, sculptural panels, and other goods from local waterways, hiking trails, and even construction sites! The idea originated through my love for the outdoors and the concept of reuse reduce recycle. All are woven together with my quality wire-working! There is a special bond seen with every piece of the unity of humans and nature."

For more on River Rats, please visit them on MySpace.

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see River Rats along with numerous other talented artisans.

CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market

As part of their ongoing effort to create local selling opportunities for artisans in and around the Pittsburgh area, the Etsy Pittsburgh Street Team is happy to announce the CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market on Thursday, December 18, 2008 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm at Navarra (next to Bossa Nova) 131 7th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

This event, in downtown Pittsburgh, will feature 40 local artisans selling their handmade wares, performances by local musicians (schedule and details TBA), and how-to crafting demonstrations.

Mark the date on your calendar and come join us for a last chance to buy handmade for the holidays!

A few vendor spaces are still available. For applications, questions, or more info, email barkerbellheirlooms@hotmail.com.

Stop Motion Crafting!

Some Etsy Pittsburgh Street Team members participated in this weeks AMHC’s Twilight Market organized by Market Manager Megan Cook of Urban Foodworks & the Farmers Market Alliance. A weekly venue held every Saturday from 3 to 7PM on the corner of Jacksonia & Buena Vista Streets in Pittsburgh’s historical Mexican War Street District, the market features local organic produce, baked goods & other handmade items.

Although usually a vendor at this event myself, due to unforeseeable babysitting issues, I was unable to participate in selling this week. Instead I decided to pack up my kiddos, hightail it out of the South Hills & head to the city for some culture, fun & shopping. We were not disappointed. Although we left the market rather abruptly due to a series of kiddo incidences (homemade ice cream spill, Soda from Belelza Coffeehouse + shaking = explosion, & the topper being a close call involving a parking motorcycle), we had a wonderful time!

East of Taos Trading Company sells some yummy salsa mixes, rubs & seasonings. My oldest kiddo couldn’t get enough of the samples (& hopefully didn't double dip too much)!
Cynthia of Third Day Luxury Soaps & Healing Gardens, LLC offers some lovely scented bath & body products that she makes from scratch using premium quality organic ingredients.
The Rise Above Bakery & Café, a local bakery located on Ardmore Blvd. in Forest Hills, has a mouth watering assortment of breads to choose from. My youngest kiddo, an extremely picky eater, loved the buttery French bread for sure!
The staple of the market! Locally grown, fresh & organic produce that’s excellent in quality, flavor & price! Yay for the AMHC!!!
Our own fearless & talented Team leader Lz of LzRocks aka Octarine, not only offers her fabulous wire wrapped, dichroic glass & resin jewelry but has become a skilled knitter! She’s also a self taught musician & serenaded us with her lovely ukulele!
Another talented Team member Jenn of Jenn Mack Fiberworks aka Hairycarrot, features her reconstructed clothing line at the market. I couldn’t resist buying one of her jeans turned awesome skirt. I’m seriously considering having her reconstruct all of my pants into these skirts!!!