Where did your brand name come from?
I love puns and word play, and of course it’s always fun to substitute “Kat” in any word with “cat” in it – Katastrophe, Kataclysm, etc. “Katatomic” is the opposite of “catatonic” – there’s no way my stuff will put anyone in a stupor. It’s my aesthetic, with an energy pop.

What prompted you to craft professionally?
I’d just discovered needlefelting, and I felt like I’d found my “thing.” It took some serious encouragement from my BFF to go “next level,” but I decided to enter the craft scene with a focus on making felt stuff, because I really didn’t see too much of it out there. I wanted a challenge, and wanted to see if I could make a name for myself making really cute stuff. I had no idea how seriously I would take it. I still don’t know, actually, but let’s face it: It’s all about the Benjamins. Or in my case, the Washingtons and Lincolns.

Describe your design philosophy in three words:
Squee-inducing cuteness.

What is the one tool you would buy if you had an unlimited budget?
A fancy Bernina sewing machine, although I’d probably be too intimidated by it to take it out of the box. Le sigh.

What is your favorite motif or theme currently?
The quatrefoil! I love it so much it hurts me at my core. So classic, yet modern and fresh. Pretty much the opposite of what I make, so it’s a nice change of pace.

What do you think sets crafting apart from other forms of artistic or professional endeavors?
I think about this often, actually. I really dislike the perceived notion that crafters are the junior cousins of artists, like our work isn’t as important or relevant. Crafting just is what it is – it’s not necessarily open to interpretation, like fine art can be, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t fantastic design elements or craftsmanship involved. I don’t necessarily feel like crafters are trying to make a statement, per se – here’s a wallet, here’s a plush animal, here’s a hair accessory. But so many things that crafters make – at least the crafters I know – are beautiful, clever, well-designed pieces that just happen to have, perhaps, a more practical place in the world (of course, in arguing with myself as I am wont to do, I’d argue that fine art has a practical place in the world. This is where I just sorta give up the explanations and definitions and labels, and pick up a needle and thread, because I am really not sure that I actually answered this question.)

Oddest injury you’ve ever received while crafting?
Like a lot of people who sew, I have a habit of putting pins and needles in my mouth to hold while I’m doing something else. On more than one occasion, I’ve managed to thread a taste bud through the head of a needle and get it stuck there. I don’t know how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but I can tell you that a taste bud threaded through the eye of a needle is an angry taste bud. Ow.

And finally, what advice do you have for anyone just starting out?
Ask questions, seek help when you need it, trust your gut, and just freakin’ go for it. Make something because you love to make it, and you’ll be happy.

Interview by: Beqi Brinkhorst

Hand made holiday decor can welcome guests with a warm greeting. Cutting your own stencil allows you to quickly make more than one, choose your own font, or look like a pro even though your lettering skills are questionable. Carrie Hawkins of Souvenirs From Wonderland shares her inside secrets here:

Items needed:
- permanent marker with thin tip
- piece of glass, edges taped with duct tape
- stencil blank
- stencil cutter (sometimes called stencil burner, Plaid makes one)
- exacto knife
- tape
- stencil brush
- acrylic paint
- cloth or rag

1. draw or print design (if the letters are too thin, you can draw around them with a marker to plump them up)

2. trace design onto stencil material with marker

3. for letters or designs with a shape within a shape such as letter “A”, make a bridge in one part of the letter, you can fill it in with paint later if you want

4. heat stencil cutter

5. place stencil on glass and use cutter tip to “cut” out your design, the burner tip melts the plastic and you drag the tip as the material melts, pulling toward your body is easier, turn the stencil as you go

6. use the exacto knife to cut away any melted plastic that sticks to the edges of your cuts

7. when stencil is cut, practice on scrap paper first

8. dab the stencil brush into paint and remove some on a cloth or piece of paper to avoid too much paint that will bleed under your stencil, pounce with stencil brush to paint your letters

9. for added depth, apply a second darker color in select spots over the first, then blend with a soft brush

10. remove stencil immediately and wipe away any bleeds

11. fill in gaps from stencil bridges, if desired

Where did your brand name come from?
I was knitting at a family picnic, and my great-uncle walked over and said to me, “Stick to your knittin’ kitten. That’s what we used to tell the ladies.” He meant that they said it to women when they wanted them to mind their own business and stick to “womanly” things. I thought the saying itself was cute (ignoring the connotations), and I liked turning it into something empowering by using it as the name of a woman-owned business.

What prompted you to craft professionally?
I’ve always made things, and my grandma sold things she made at craft shows for many years, so I was somewhat familiar with that. When I started knitting I became a bit obsessed and started making so many things that I had no idea what I was going to do with all of them. So I decided to start selling what I made.

Describe your design philosophy in 3 words.
Function, form, color

What is the one tool you would buy if you had an unlimited budget?
A Fricke S-160-DT double treadle spinning wheel

What is your favorite motif or theme currently?
I don’t currently have a specific favorite theme, but I have been making a lot of things from my own self-striping handspun yarn, so lots of my recent items have been striped.

What do you think sets crafting apart from other forms of artistic or professional endeavors?
I think that crafting is a way to make something that is both functional and artistic. I also think that the craft community is very supportive.

Oddest injury you’ve ever received while crafting?
Amazingly, considering how clumsy I can be, I can’t think of any odd crafting injuries I’ve received. I’ve had the typical glue gun burns and sewing needle stabbings. But luckily I’ve never stabbed myself with a knitting needle!

And finally, What advice do you have for anyone just starting out?
Do research on shows. If you can, go to a show before vending in it or talk to other crafters to get the scoop on the show. That helps you avoid doing shows that aren’t really right for your products or that don’t have good attendance.

• Felted Wool Scraps (old sweaters)
• Fabric Glue
• Scissors
• Safety Pin or Pin back
• Needle/Thread

Do you have a special talent? Would you like to showcase that talent? You can do just that at the first Cranky Yellow Variety Show, Too Late for Fun Time. The show will be at Cranky Yellow on Friday, March 19, at 9 pm.

Cranky Yellow provides the theme, you provide the interpretive dance, circus act, poetry, music, you name it! TOO LATE FOR FUN TIME will be a showcase of the wide-ranging interpretations/spins/manIpUlashunons that creative people in St. Louis come up with based on the chosen theme.

The theme of this first TOO LATE FOR FUN TIME is based on what Cranky Yellow believes to be one of the more beautiful Missed Connection Ads from the St. Louis Craigslist. Please interpret this passage as you see fit:

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Post-it note inside of a Death Cab for Cutie album – m4w (a secondhand record (cd?) store)
Date: 2010-01-13, 11:56PM CST
Reply To This Post

This CD was actually purchased as-used quite some time ago, but upon finding the CD case (I lost the post-it), my curiosity has been once again sparked.

There was a cell phone number written on the post- it under the words “Risk it. You know you want to.” and a picture of a hand holding up a peace sign. I must’ve been feeling particularly ballsy that day, because I called it, only to be greeted with complete confusion and me apologizing to the girl on the other end for such a bizarre phone call. I can only assume that one of three things happened- someone beat me to the punch and harassed the shit out of you, it was a prank on a friend/enemy, or you got a new phone. Either way, my curiosity stands. I don’t know if I would want to meet you (probably not- I bet you are horribly disfigured in ways that only my darkest nightmares could possibly materialize), but I would definitely like to know what prompted such a feat.

Tell me what you drew between the index and middle fingers on the peace sign, the title of the album, and where you may have sold this album to so I know it’s you. Thanks!

•Location: a secondhand record (cd?) store
•it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 1551879822

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Not sure if you have  a special talent that you can use to interpret the theme? Cranky Yellow can offer you some ideas:
-musical acts (cabaret singin’, solo musicians, bands, electronikkkkka, acapella, the spoons)
-poetry (spoken word, reciting original work)
-comedy (sketch comedy, stand-up, improvisation)
-any kind dance/movement/interpretive dance/step
-exercise/yoga instruction
-burlesque
-pole dancing
-magic
-any circus acts (NO LIONS)
-illegitimate medical/legal advice
-storytelling
-video shorts
-dream interpretation
-narrated slideshows of photography from really good and/or fancy vacations
-drag
-trivia
-origami lessons
-belly dancing
-creative writing readings
-soap box political speeches
-rants/raves
-etiquette lessons
-special talents (hula-hoop, fire-eating, speed dating?)
-anything else you can possibly think of..!

But, make sure you follow the guidelines:
1. Please refrain from acts containing Physical Violence and/or Hurting.
2. Participants are strongly encouraged to wear festive costumes.
3. Due to time restraints, each act must be no longer than five minutes. Going overtime may result in some confrontation with a vaudevillian-style hook.

So how can you get your fabulous act into this variety show? Send your name and a three-word description of your act to Jo Firestone at jo@crankyyellow.com by Saturday, February 27. You can also contact Jo with any questions.

STL Craft Mafia member Amy Rickles of Stick to Your Knittin Kitten is donating 10% of the sales from her shop between now and March 5 to the American Lung Association via Master the Met. We caught up with her to find out more about the local event and how others can get involved. Read on, my crafties.

What is Master the Met?
Master the Met is the 2010 Fight for Air Climb to raise money for the American Lung Association. It takes place on March 6, 2010. Participants (myself included) will be climbing 42 flights of stairs (that’s over 1000 stairs!) to the top of the Metropolitan Building in downtown St. Louis. Each participant pays a $25 registration fee and must raise at least $100 to participate in the event.

How did you get involved?
A friend of mine learned about the event and decided to get a team together to participate. Our team is called Drinkers with a Climbing Problem. I decided to participate in this event because I have personally been touched by lung-related issues: my grandpa died of emphysema and related problems in 2007; several of my family members have severe asthma, and I have mild asthma; and the mother of a friend of mine was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. I also thought that training for the event would a good way for me to improve my health.

How can our fans participate/get involved?
The event is currently full, so it is too late to sign up to participate in the climb itself. However, there are still several ways to get involved. I am donating 10% of my sales through March 5 to the American Lung Association, so any purchase from me will help this cause. They can also donate directly to the American Lung Association through my personal page, through my team page , or through the main Master the Met site.

Established in 2007, The Sparrow Fist is home to lovely collection of beautifully designed jewelry and hair accessories. Lydia’s work feels modern with a vintage twist. Check her out on Etsy to see her fabulous creations!

Meet Lydia.

When did you start crafting?

I have been dabbling in different crafts forever. I got more serious about it at the end of 2006 which led me to open my shop in 2007.

What types of materials do you use for making your products?

I use a lot of ribbon (vintage and new), paper flowers, random trinkets, and pretty much anything that has the potential to be turned into something wearable.

How did you find your way to your current medium?

I started doing only jewelry for the most part when I opened my shop. When I fell in love with some of the hair accessories online and in magazines, I decided I would give it a go. Something really clicked with designing and making hair accessories and it’s probably my favorite thing to make at the moment.

Anything new in your plans for 2010?

I am really interested in working more with felt and fabric in my jewelry.

What’s your workspace like?

Chaos. I try to reign it in with bins and whatnot but in the end it’s really just organized chaos.

What inspires you?

It depends on the day really, a visually interesting film one day or the feel of a certain era another day. At the moment, I am really into films like Bright Star and Atonement, and the feel of those movies and the way women dressed – a sort of disheveled elegance.

When do you feel most inspired?

After a good nights sleep.

What shows have you done?

I haven’t done a ton but I can’t really remember them all either. Some off the top of my head would be Strange Folk, Green with Indie, Big Ass Indie Craft Show. Currently I am gearing up for the Indie Craft Revolution show.

What was your first big project?

I don’t really do big projects per se. My first large output of designs though was probably the first Strange Folk I did. My fingers were sore from all the bending, cutting, wrapping, fastening. It was great though and I am glad I did it.

Pimp your fellow crafters. Name three favorites.

That’s actually really hard! I have so much love and respect for the talent that’s out there. If I had to choose I would say Mermaid Garden Party, Fancy Lamb, and Beqi Clothing.

Tell us one random fact about you…

I have a thing for maps.

Vote for our very own The Fancy Lamb in the Rikrak Studio 2010 Handmade Oympics: where the handmade world comes together to celebrate making things! Robin (The Fancy Lamb) is nominated in the “Thrifty-forward, Sustainability-Minded” category for her amazing handmade pieces created using one-of-a-kind vintage items. Check out the work in her shop and then go vote!

St. Louis Craft Mafia member Julie Birkemeier is a talented photographer. We recently spoke to her about her newest endeavor, pet photography.

Q: What’s the focus of your business?
A: The main focus of my business is pet photography. I love, love, love, love, love it. I adore animals and working with them. A lot of my personal work in the past has been macro nature work, because I thrive on focusing on the little details of life that often go unnoticed. I think I’ve brought an element of that to this part of my work. I want to capture the soul of each animal in my work. I continue doing fine art personal work, and I’m still shooting weddings and portraits, as well.

Q: Tell us about your photos, what made you decide to start taking photos of pets?
A: It’s difficult for me to describe my own photographs because I see them as so simple, which is the point. I don’t have this huge process for my photography. There’s no hype in my photography–it’s all about the subject. And have an absolute adoration for animals, and because I love focusing on little things that go unappreciated or unnoticed every day, I think photographing people’s pets was a very natural step for me. Everyone loves the greeting they receive from their dogs when they come home from work, and to capture that energy in a photograph to look at forever is something special. When I started volunteering for Stray Rescue in November of 2008 things started to click. I wanted to photograph the personality of each dog I met. I’ve taken a few of them to the park and snapped some photos, loved it, and that’s how I got started.

Q: What do you like best about taking pet photos?
A: Several things. I love interacting with animals in general, so getting to meet a new furry friend is always fun for me. I love listening to pet owners gush over their animal companions. The more pets I photograph the clearer it becomes that each and every animal has their own personalities, and I love he challenge of trying to translate that personality into a photograph. When an owner tells me I have captured their pet’s personality to a T it makes me incredibly happy.

Q: What is it like to get pets to “pose” for photos? Are they cooperative? Do you need to bribe them with treats?
A: I definitely don’t take the Sears photo approach to photographing animals. Sure I’d love for them to sit still and pose for me, but what if a dog is known for running around like a maniac while she tries to kill her stuffed squirrel? I want to photograph that, too. My approach is to let whatever animal I’m photographing do his thing, and if he sits, great. If he doesn’t sit I’m still going to get the pictures I want because they’ll reflect who that dog is. Every animal is different.

Q: What is one of your favorite pet photo session experiences/stories?
A: My favorite photo session was actually very recently. I was photographing a 14-year-old Shar Pei. He was very slow moving, and his appearance was a bit crusty, but to witness the deep love his owner has for him was moving. The connection between them was amazing, and I was so happy that I could help preserve that love with some photographs.

Q: Do you have any animals?
A: Two cats: Francis and Sherman. They are best friends.

Q: What’s on the horizon for 2010?
A: Mutton Chops. I want to incorporate pet photography in with my dog walking and pet sitting business, so 2010 is all about launching this business. I’m also continuing photo work with a local program called Loosen the Leash, in which shelter dogs get trained by troubled teens. It’s a lot of fun to photograph, but I also want to help bring exposure to the program.

Q: Do you take the photos just for friends or do you take commissions from anyone? If you do take commissions from anyone, what is the best way for someone to contact you to get more information?
A: I do both! I’ll take as many animal photographs as I can handle! If anyone wants to contact me for a session they can email me at jbirkemeierphoto@gmail.com for a price quote. In the meantime, they can visit jbirkemeierphoto.blogspot.com to view more of my work.

Cara McKinlay is one of our newest members and brings enthusiasm and creativity to the table in spades.  This girl’s got mad skillz and it is our pleasure to introduce you to her.  We know you’ll love her as much as we do – and that’s a lot! Here’s an interview short to get you started.

What’s your company name? Mermaid Garden Party

When did you open for business? July. 2008

What types of products do you make? I sell post cards and little screen printed arts.

What is your favorite to make? I can’t pick! I love making both.

What types of materials do you use for making your products?
I draw most of my illustrations then use a computer to upload & outsource those designs. I use recycled paper and envelopes, biodegradable plastic, wood, staples, ribbon, and lots of hot glue for packaging and finishing touches.

Anything new in your plans for 2010? New product? New material? New medium?
Oooh, I love new ideas and projects! Right now I’m working on having my designs printed on bigger fabric (as well as screen printing myself!) and I hope to sew some goodies. I’m also playing around with hand painted canvas art mixed with recycled stuff… but I always have weird ideas, we’ll see what happens!

What’s your workspace like?
Well, besides a mess, my workspace ALWAYS has cookies. They’re the best! I live in a smallish space so my craftiness has pretty much taken over most of the house, oops.

What inspires you?
People! Meeting other artists and creative minds always 1) reminds me that I’m not the only weird person on this planet and 2) challenges me to keep creating and trying new things!

When do you feel most inspired?
Between the hours of 10pm and 3am. I’m always up late creating something or trying to sleep but constantly grabbing a pen and paper to write down ideas. I’m a night person through and through.

What shows have you done? Plan to do?
I just started doing shows this year so I’m pretty new and excited about them! I’ve done Big Ass Indie Art & Craft Show 2 & 3, Strangefolk and Rock n’ Roll 6. In the not so distant future I hope to do Craft Revolution and Green with Indie!

When did you start crafting?
I was always creating something when I was a kid. But I never liked anything with directions, so I would just make up stuff. Like this one time when I was 8 I remember my mother telling me about pet rocks in the 70′s and I thought it was a brilliant idea. So, I got my younger sister and we painted wild spots and stripes and faces and hair-do’s on rocks. Then we made each one a house out of a shoe box with a family room and bedroom and kitchen. Then we gave each a name and a personality and gave them to our friends as pets.

What was your first big project?
My very first big project was doing wedding invitations and programs for a friend of mine who got married last year.

How did you find your way to your current medium?
Well, I went through this phase right after college where I was starved to do something creative but didn’t believe I was an artist so I kept trying to find a creative job. I worked as a web designer and hated it. Then I worked as a florist and hated it and then worked at a hair salon…. and hated it. So one day I just tried to make a pretty design on the computer and actually liked it! Then, I found etsy.com and started thinking about a medium I could offer people my designs and made cards!

Pimp your fellow crafters. Who are 3 favorites?
Oh geez, I hate picking favorites!  And I certainly can’t narrow it down to 3! I like so many, but 3 of them are Twisted, Dammnation and Fancy Lamb.

Tell us one random fact about you… I have a dimple on my left cheek when I smile.

To visit Mermaid Garden Party on the web, visit her Etsy shop.  If you are in the St. Louis area, you can pick up her goodies at Paste in Soulard.