No More Blue Mondays!

The Queer Team Rainbow challenge is drawing nigh to the last hues in the spectrum. The notion that our colorful cavalcade is coming to a close has given us all a bad case of the blues and we thought we'd share them with you...

This elegant floral eyeglasses holder by Bits 'n Beads by Gilliauna will ensure you never misplace your specs again, lest it's lovely hibiscus blooms leave your sight.



While your vision is clear, make sure to send someone you love an adorable, printable pdf postcard by Feathered Nest Studio, as one team member quipped, "They'll have you at Hello". ;)



After all that writing let the world know you need a cookie break with Faerie Garden Fancies outrageously cute Cookie Monster ring.




Everyone knows that nothing goes better with cookies than a perfectly brewed tea. Make yours in this whimsical hand painted tea pot with Sea Dragon motif by QueenofQueens.




Keep your quill handy in something befitting the beauty of your prose. This gorgeous pencil case by Fiberista Nora fits the bill swimmingly.




Galleria di Giani's stunning Lapis and Biwa pearl necklace is a showstopper sure to entrance anyone whose eye it catches.



These glittery note cards by Emma's Destiny set a sweet, contemporary tone for any thank you or invitation.



Intricate knotwork frames a spectacular flower in Hemp Helpers naturally appealing Blue Hemp Necklace.



Stars will certainly sparkle in your eyes when they fall upon this magical Shattuckite pendant made by Bowers Studio.



You're certain to bid Blue Mondays adieu while wearing this incredible wooden bangle by Ramshackle Studio, the beauty of which resembles earth from a cosmic vantage point.


If the peaceful hues of sky and sea have sparked your generosity, Paper Demon Jewelry's
incredibly alluring Chiyogami Necklace comes in a matching tin for gifting.


That brings us to the end of out beautiful blue challenge, be sure to stop by next month when we interpret all things purple for your pleasure.

The Queer Team Knows "It's Not Easy Being Green", but our talented members were definitely up for interpreting this verdant hue for this month's installment of the Rainbow Themed Team Challenge.

What better way to start things off than with our own amphibious homage to the words that Kermit the Frog once sang in the above mentioned classic? CrowBirdieBeads brings us a trio of tiny glass toads who's lovely shade of swamp grass would make even Kermit green with envy.














When you're romp through the swamp has ended, you may feel inclined to wander while wearing this lovely "Tuscany in Autumn" eyeglasses holder crafted by Gilliauna,"reminiscent of olive picking in Tuscany".



If you find yourself craving the salty snack, help yourself to this adorable bookmark made by BunnyKissd. "Use this fruity, tongue in cheek bookmark to mark your place in your next read, or send that special someone a pun-ish(ing) reminder of your unique love."



Or you may prefer to adorn your ears with these graceful earrings made by Paper Demon Jewelry paying homage to windswept trees.
These "three dimensional brass leaves sway against a subtle background of olive green washi paper."



Ramshackle Studio presents us with a uniquely beautiful interpretation of the wild wood with this "handmade, one of a kind, wood pendant [which] features a piece of tumbled Tiger's Eye and brass accents inset into Lignum Vitae".



The classic design of this Kambaba jasper, onyx and sterling silver necklace made by Galleria Di Giani, will transport you from the sun-kissed orchards of Tuscany to cool, deep green forests far in the hill. Versatile enough to pair with varied looks, this piece will prove when worn that "you are someone to be reckoned with."



Reinforce your bold fashion statement with these glamorous Crystazzi Tormaline and Silver Chandelier Earrings by Elle's Beads, "perfect for a night out, semi-formal wear, and formal wear."




Enjoy complete immersion in nature's peaceful hues with this gorgeous Good Luck Green Aventurine Stretch Bracelet by Mike's Hemps Bracelets.



What better way to tote all your emerald treasures than in this chic Green Plaid Hip Zip bag by fiberista nora? This durable bag has "two fully lined pockets and is large enough to carry all your basic necessities."



Make sure to give hearty thanks to Mother Nature for your bountiful beryl-toned booty! This gorgeous Lady of the Green Statue by Greenman Designs is sure to recall nature's hues with much happiness, regardless of where she resides.



Be sure to visit our gorgeous green etsy treasury and stay tuned for next month's BLUE bonanza!

The Men of Etsy Street Team Gets a Storque Article

Better late than never, here's a link to a great Father's Day article in the Storque written by Queer Etsy Street Team member GalleriaDiGiani. Along with being an active member of our team, Giani is also the leader of the Men of Etsy team.

The article, entitled "Fathers and Sons: The Men of Etsy Team Shares Inspiration" , includes several stories relating to fathers, grandfathers, and sons as told to Giani by team members.

Bravo, Giani, for a very well-written and touching article!

First Ever Etsy Pride Article!

Team leader QueenofQueens has penned the first ever official Gay Pride Article on etsy's Storque blog. The article features gorgeous work and relevant thoughts from many Queer Esty Street Team members! Take a peek and happy pride month!

Spotlight on Queer Team Member HempHelpers!

HempHelpers interviewed by enlightenedartisan

What sorts of things do you offer in your shop?

Typical hippie gear. All my jewelry and accessories are made with hemp. I have necklaces, branklets (my own category, just referring to items that can be worn as bracelets or anklets), head bands, belts, key chains, and clipcritters (little pals made with beads and hemp that have alligator clips). Nearly all these items also have alligator clips, for both strong secure clasp, and for those that partake, an easy way to prevent burned fingers and lips ;)I also offer art, stash jars, and tie dye clothing.

How did you first start selling on etsy? How long have you been selling? Do you sell anywhere else?

I heard about it from a friend, and immediately jumped on the band wagon. I started crafting in January of 09, and went to Rothbury that summer to sell my wares out of baskets. Shortly after that I heard about etsy, which is the only place I was selling for a while. I am now currently in a few headshops and art stores around Michigan. I’m getting close to my one year anniversary of my shop opening!!

Tell us a little about your typical creative process and how you go about making your work. What kinds of steps do you usually go through?

It varies, sometimes I pick out the center bead or focal point and work around it, or I’ll pick out the hemp colors and figure out which bead goes best with it. From there I take in account my desired client, male/female/unisex, type of knot to use, and overall size of the piece. I work in a social atmosphere; good company helps you produce good products! It helps you be more at ease and relaxed, and not takes mistakes as seriously. Nothing in the world is perfect, and imperfections just make each piece more unique. This goes for my other crafts too, not just the hemp crafting. Being social and feeding off other people’s good vibes really inspires me.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

Hemp is my number one favorite. I use it exclusively for all my jewelry and accessories. In addition to that, I love to tie dye, paint, and draw. I will be learning how to work glass and make clothing in the near future too.

Are there other creative projects you are involved in outside of yourwork in your etsy shop?

I will be starting to try my hand at glass working. Lampworking and glass blowing, once I get it down pat you’ll be sure to see my work in my shop!

Besides art/crafty stuff, what else do you like doing in your free time?

Hmm, tough question. My spare time is when I do all my crafty stuff. But now that it’s summer time, I plan to spend the warm days with friends, music, and peace.

Does your queer identity come into play in your work?

Sometimes it does. Mostly my hippie identity rules the grounds, but I think that was spurred by my queeritude. I learned respect and understanding of different ways of life from being gay, and I use that for motivation when I work. But I have made quite a few rainbow pieces intentionally because I was gay.

What are your hopes for the Queer Etsy Street Team? What brought you to join?

I love the feeling of belonging with people. And how the slightest similarity in people can bring all types of different backgrounds together. I love the welcoming atmosphere the queer team has. I hope to become a productive member of the team, providing input and having fun. I think its great what the team does and I am proud to start being a part of it.

Spotlight on Queer Team Member thickneckarts!

A rousing interview with Queer team member thickneckarts conducted by the spectacular fauxsure:

How did you first start selling on etsy? How long have you been selling? Do you sell anywhere else?

A friend of mine introduced me to Etsy. I was looking for a online site that was relatively inexpensive and low maintenance.

I joined Etsy in May 2008. I haven't branched out to any other sites really. Not for selling anyway.

Where do your ideas/ inspiration come from ?

Colors. Mostly monochromatic systems. I love mixing colors that you wouldn't normally put together and then the bead, or pendant or painting, come out looking super sweet. I'm also a huge advocate for recycling and upcycling. I think people should get more excited about the different ways their "old" stuff can be used rather than buying new stuff to replace it. I rarely throw anything away without first putting it to use for something else, or breaking it down and making something out of its parts.
Tell us a little about your typical creative process and how you go about making your work. What kinds of stages do you usually go through? Is your process varied depending on what materials you're working with?
When it comes to the polymer clay beads, I'll be going about my business and just see 3 or 4 colors in my surroundings (natural or otherwise) and wonder how they would look together. Then I'll tinker with layering them, checkerboarding them, maybe swirling them, until I get the result I like best. Some times the color scheme is good but the shape it ends up in, like a barrel bead or flat pendant, makes it even better.

Right now, I'm really into creating color schemes that excite or fit my mood and the material doesn't really matter. The end results I want are driven by the hues of the world, not necessarily their vehicles.
Your shop is very diverse. How do you decide what to list? Are there more areas you'd like to branch out into in the future?
Right now, I mostly list the second best of my work. My best work tends to go to friends or family. And my partner usually gets the best of the jewelry. lol.

I'd love to branch out into screenprinting as my first love is drawing and sketching. When I was younger I wanted to start a t-shirt printing co. and just make rad t-shirts with crazy designs and stencil pics on them. We'll see...

How did you get started with papermaking?

Their are a couple of entertainment "newspapers" here in town and I used to pick them up at work to look through at lunch. They began accumulating in the back of my truck and I kept forgetting to take them to recycling. One day I was on Instructables.com looking for bookbinding help when I came across a DIY recycled paper instructable. Since then, I've destroyed our blender, 4 or 5 picture frames and dyed our pie spatula red!

Tell us a little about your YouTube channel. How did you get started making videos related to your work?
I've only got a couple of videos on YouTube. One for making a tin and one for making a stencil print. A friend of mine suggested people might dig buying a product they could watch being made. I felt like that fit right in with the handmade crafts genre. What other product can you buy and see the actual work being done to create it? Kinda makes the purchase more personal I think.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

Right now, newspaper. The ending product isn't as durable as I'd like it to be (still working on that) but at then end of the day, it's completely biodegradable. What's better than giving someone a card for a birthday or holiday and know that even if they toss it in the trash instead of recycling, it will still biodegrade?

Do you also buy things on etsy? What sorts of items have you purchased?

I do. Whenever I'm looking for gifts, Etsy is the first place I go. So far I've purchased mostly jewelry.

Are there other creative projects you are involved in outside of your work in your etsy shop?

I write. Mostly poetry but I'm tip-toeing in the short story genre.

Besides art/ crafty stuff, what else do you like doing in your free time?

Composting. Learning how to lessen my impact on the environment. Trying to raise awareness of how easy it really is to lessen your own impact on the environment. It's really just a matter of re-training your thinking about every day habits. That alone can make a huge difference!
Does your queer identity come into play in your work?
If it does, it isn't planned. I mean, I've done a couple of rainbow beads and pendants but that's about it. I am queer but that's not who I am. And I want people to dig my work because they just plain dig it. Not necessarily because we have that one thing in common.

What are your hopes for the Queer Etsy Street Team? What brought you to join?

I would like to see the team grow in numbers. What I hope for any queer group I join is to raise an awareness of differences as commonalities and to create a positive path for younger generations to follow.

Do you have any goals for your shop in 2009?

For 2009, I'd love to perfect recycling paper into giftables, such as cards, scrapbook pages, journal pages or journal covers!

Meet Julie of juliejewl AND cherryberrybunny

here's another Queer Team member interview... keith from fauxsure interviews julie of juliejewl and cherryberrybunny.



what got you started on etsy?

I honestly don't remember where I first heard of Etsy. I was aware of it a long while before I decided to open my shops. Then one day it just seemed like I had procrastinated enough. I opened my juliejewl store first with my art and then decided I would like to sell my jewelry as well and thus cherryberrybunny was born.

what inspires you? where do you get ideas for your work?

Anything and everything inspires me. I love colors and textures, especially in unusual combinations. I'm a mixed media artist so I tend to take a little bit of everything and synthesize it into a new whole. I get inspiration from nature, other artists, fashion, music, poetry. Anywhere I can really.

are you inspired by other art forms/ craft traditions?

As I mentioned in the last question, I can be inspired by just about anything! I have a deep love for art and crafting both. I am in awe of any craft done well. I love knitting/crocheting, DIY clothing, pottery, and jewelry just to name a few.

what do you want people to get out of your work? what do you want to communicate to others through it?

My art is very personal and very symbolic. I hope that people see a little bit of me and also themselves in it. I want my audience to rethink femininity and see it in different ways, as something that can be strong and bold. Other common themes in my work are transformation, layers, growth, flight, knowledge, and dreams.

In my jewelry, mainly I want to cultivate a sense of fun and joy. And maybe a little irreverence now and again.

do you also buy things on etsy? if so, what sorts of things appeal to you?

At this point I have mainly bought supplies on Etsy. However, I have a list a mile long in my favorites of things I would love to buy. I love scarves and hats, gloves and arm warmers, jewelry, bath and body products, and art particularly.

are there other creative projects you are involved in outside of your work on etsy?

What I do creatively outside of Etsy is more of the same, just different venues. I've been working on showing my art and have been in a couple different art shows this past year. I had some journal pages published in "1000 Artist Journal Pages" by Dwan Sokol. Slowly but surely I am also making my way into selling at conferences and craft fairs. Mainly my jewelry but I am also working on getting it together to start selling prints of my art.

do you sell your work anywhere else besides etsy?

I don't have a web site or a physical shop or anything like that yet. I sell outside of Etsy when the opportunity arises, such as someone wanting to buy a painting at an art show or when I am involved in a craft fair.


besides art and crafty stuff, what else do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I'm kind of a quiet person and a homebody. I enjoy spending time with my small group of friends, reading, movies, music, and hanging out with my pet rabbit.

what are your hopes for the queer team?

I hope to create community for queer artists and crafters. For mutual support and also to build a visible queer presence on Etsy. I think there are lots of queer folks involved in art and crafts but it can be difficult for us to find each other or find our audience of queer-positive supporters. After that, sky's the limit!

Meet QueenofQueens!

We will be doing weekly interviews in order to get to know members of the Queer Etsy street team better.

The lovely, quirkly, and multi-talented Michelley QueenofQueens agreed to be the first interviewee. Be sure and visit her Etsy shop when you are done reading!

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Who are you? Michelley QueenofQueens. Interdisciplinary artist and conduit of the absurd.

What do you create? Everything. My expansive Sagittarian nature demands that it be so.

How long have you been doing your art/craft? My first conscious memory of creativity was when I was a pre-schooler. I drew Melody of Josie and the Pussycats on my yellow shag carpet with my dad's shaving cream.

What do you like about creating? It keeps homicidal urges at bay.

What do you like about your business? I am very gratified when people make a connection with something that's arrived in the world through me.

How did you find out about Etsy? You know, I really can't remember. It's as if I emerged from a cosmic wormhole one day and there by the grace of divine provenance it was...beckoning.

Do you sell your products anywhere else besides Etsy? I have a little shop in Palm Harbor, FL, Anne Bonney Tattoos, where I hock my wares as I leave permanent marks upon people's skin (some call this "tattooing"). I also have some items available at Pheeney's in Madeira Beach, FL. They have a vast array of artist made items, enough to induce giddiness.

What do you do when you're not creating products for your shop? The aforementioned poking of people's skin. I also design, paint and try to avert existential crises.

What are some other sites where we can find out more about you and what you create? http://www.michelleyqueenofqueens.com