Hapa's Artist Spotlight: Linda from Solstice Ltd.

                               Hapa’s Artist Spotlight
                                       Solstice LTD

1.      What made you start Solstice LTD?

“When I was a teenager, I use to bead with my friend and we would sell and give them to our other friends as gifts.  It wasn’t until about 10 years ago, I saw Sandra Bullock wearing this simple elegant lariat and thought...wow, I could do that.  I pulled out all my jewelry supplies and started beading; I sold a ton of them for $18.  It grew from there; I started purchasing premade charms to add to my designs.  It was fun, but was just not satisfying my creative side.  I wanted to make my own charms and pendants, so I took an Art Clay (fine silver) class … and well the rest is history."

2.       What makes your jewelry unique from other jewelry lines?

“I make every single one of my pieces, so each is a one of a kind design.  It’s like getting a little piece of art.  I have been creating my own original designs for the last 3 years.  Lately, when I've been doing trunk shows, people will come up to me and tell me they saw or purchased my jewelry from one of the stores I am in.  They recognized my design and were able to tell it was “mine” just by looking at it!  That is so rewarding.  It meant I have a signature style.”

            3.   What is the jewelry made of?

“My charms and pendants are made of Pure Silver (.999 FS) meaning there are no other alloys mixed with the silver.  I also offer my line in 24K Gold Vermeil.  The chains are either sterling silver or gold filled. “

 4.  What inspires you to make the pieces you do?            

“I love to create and I believe there are no such things as mistakes, only happy accidents.  My ultimate goal is to bring out a little of the wearer’s personality, to bring a smile to their face or even make them giggle a little.  I like to call my jewelry “Whimsically BoHo Chic.” It is light hearted, fun, yet chic.”

Thank you Linda from Solstice LTD for taking the time to do this wonderful interview!

Come get your own piece of Solstice LTD at Hapa Collective!

Donation Boxes for : Precious Life Shelter & Seal Beach Animal Care Center

       The holidays are a time of giving… Here at Hapa Collective we couldn’t agree more. During this holiday season we’ve set up two donation boxes in front of our store for  two organizations that  we think deserve some holiday cheer and love!

      The first non-profit we have a box for is the Precious Life Shelter. The Precious Life Shelter is a place that provides shelter and support for pregnant women who are homeless. At Precious Life Shelter they provide these women with the tools and support they will need to raise a family and get back on their feet. Some items that are needed are receiving blankets,diapers, maternity clothes, and etc. For more information on what items are needed and tax information please go to: www. Preciouslifeshelter.org/donations/

The second non-profit is the Seal Beach Animal Care Center. What is wonderful about the Seal Beach Animal Care Center is it is a no kill shelter.The amazing volunteers/staff make sure the animals are loved and comfortable till they find a family to adopt them.  What would be great presents for these cats and dogs are volunteers to play with them, canned & dry cat food, science diet dog food, cat litter, dog toys, and stainless steel food dishes in all sizes, and most of all a loving home. For more information on what these four legged friends need please  go to:

http://www.sbacc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=9

The gift of giving comes full circle when you bring in an item for one of these two non-profits you will get 10% off your purchase here at Hapa Collective and a big thank you from us! The last drop off day in time for the holidays is Saturday, December 22, 2012.  We hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season!

                                                              Happy Holidays!

Artist Spotlight: Creature Cashmere

Artist Spotlight

Creature Cashmere

1. What made you want to start your line" Creature Cashmere" ?

     “I started taking a sewing class about 3 1/2 years ago. Each student was

responsible for coming up with their own projects with the emphasis being on

reduce/reuse/recycle. When I discussed my idea with the teacher of using

cashmere she was very supportive and gave me guidance how to sew with knit

fabric. I started with scarves but soon moved to doggie sweaters. A few of my

friends owned retail stores and loved the idea of cashmere doggie sweaters from

repurposed cashmere. So they agreed to try some of my items in their stores.

Their encouragement  and having people actually buy my products gave me the

confidence to start producing more and it took off from there.”

2. What is the story behind your lines name?

   “Since I mostly did doggie sweaters in the very beginning I wanted something

to represent a pet line but also wanted the flexibility in the name that would allow me to develop the 'human' line as well. And, since cashmere is my primary material Creature Cashmere just worked.”

3. Where would you like to see your line in 5 years? 10yrs?

     “ At this point it's hard to anticipate where I'll be in 5 or 10 years. I left

corporate America to escape big business so I'm really enjoying the smallness

and the creativity of being a one person shop allows. It's hard to anticipate

market demand. I'll continue creating as long as I have a niche and am still

having fun doing what I do.”

4. What makes your line unique than others?

      “There aren't a lot of people repurposing cashmere at the one-of-a-kind level

at this point. And I haven't seen anyone incorporating crocheted finishing (like what I do with gloves and headbands). I get quite a few special requests for certain colors, styles, etc. I think my ability to fulfill many of these requests makes my business unique.”

5.  What fabrics do you use?

     “All of my people products are 100% repurposed cashmere. My pet products,

while all natural fibers may have some cotton, silk or other wools.”

6. Where do you find the fabrics you use?

     “ 90% of the fabric I use comes from charity thrift stores. I love that I can contribute to a charity while finding material for my products. The remainder comes from friends and occasional garage sale.”

Hapa Collective has a variety of Creature Cashmere's beautiful fashions now in stock for the holidays!

Stocking Stuffers for $25 and Under!

Christmas is on it's way! It's time to start (if you haven't already, but we're sure you have) thinking about what to get your parents, your friends, and co-workers. Don't forget about those Christmas stockings! Fill them with these really cool gifts from our Hapa artists.

Here's a list of some of the best of the best from Hapa Collective. And the best part? They are all under $25!

FOR THE GUYS

1.  " Luke I am your father eat your vegetables"(Saturday Morning Pancakes) $24.00 2. Bob Marley Coasters( Gomez Carving) $24.00 3. Card Wallets(MandaLanda) $20.00 4. Motorcycle flask( Lady Rene) $22.00

5. Whiskey stones( Teroforma) $19.50

FOR THE LADIES

1. Chapstick/Body butter gift set (Jess' Bee Natural ) $15.00 2. Purple lace earrings (Sachi Love) $23.00 3. Fresh Plumeria Bliss candle( PurBliss) $18.00 4. Cinnamon Bun scented goats milk soap ( Savannah Blue) $9.00

 5. Flower rings (UnlocktheCure) $10.00

FOR THE KIDS

1. Shrink-a-Dink coffee mug and donut earrings(Unicorn Crafts) $ 18.00 2. Abraham Lincoln Crayon mold(Crayon Fawn) $15.00 3. Tillie and the rabbit ( by J.A. Dalman and illustrations by Jamie Meckel) $8.00 4. Patsy the pig Whee One ( CMH Designs LLC) $ 18.00 5. Race car bike bell (Spoke N Wheel Designs) $22.00

FOR THE PETS/ PET LOVERS

1. Dog tote bag ( different breeds avaliable/ as well as cats) $12.00 2. Peanut Butter Cinniffers dog treats ( The Lazy Dog) $ 6.50 3. Dog Magnet ( different breeds available/ as well as cats) (Elemental  Choice)
 $ 4.00 4. LED collar light for nightitme walks  (Nite Ize) $ 8.00 5. Sock Monkey toy (Sock-ratees & Friends) $10.00

And this is just the start. Come see these and tons more at Hapa Collective!

Happy Holidays!

Artist Spotlight: Cherry on Top Designs

 

 

Meet Cherry on Top

Eclectic Designs for Your Lifestyle

 



Where are you located?

I hail from North Orange County.

Is crafting something you do full time or as a hobby?

Crafting is my favorite hobby. I have many different craft interests.

 

What inspired you to start crafting?

I think my crafting interests started in being a Girl Scout & learning different crafts while earning badges.

 

What is your favorite thing to make? Why?

I dabble in jewelry, sewing, stamp carving, metal embossing and making amusing items that make you smile. I enjoy taking something & giving it new life in another form...like a vinyl record into a bowl, or Scrabble letter tiles and displaying them to celebrate something or inspire or just share some love.

Stop by Hapa Collective and check out Cherry on Top Designs...Oh, the possibilities! A record bowl, inspiring scrabble signs, and fun scrabble tile rings. Great holiday gifts and stocking stuffers!