giveaway

It such an honor to interview Bee, half of the team behind The Wooden Bee. We “met” through the two Etsy teams we are members of, EcoEtsy & Upcyclers. We share a passion for living and eco-friendly life and using upcycled materials in our work. Bee has generously offered you a chance to win an Eco Chalkboard Gift Tag like this one! Here’s what you have to do…

1. Subscribe to my blog and comment on this post.

2. For an extra entry in the contest like my facebook page. Let me know in your post comment that you liked my page. Open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen at random on 8/15/11. I will post the winners name on my blog and facebook page. The winner has until 8/18/11 to claim their prize. Thanks & good luck!

How did you get started in your craft and what do you enjoy most about it?

I have always been involved in art but The Wooden Bee came about one Thanksgiving while visiting relatives. We were sitting around the outdoor fireplace burning leftover pieces of wood moldings. We started discussing how beautiful the leftover wood looked. We all agreed, it was too pretty to be thrown away or burned. When we headed back home at the end of the holiday weekend, I loaded up the car with all the wood I could hold and promised my husband it would not sit in the garage and that I would do something with it. The following year I made all sorts of things out of the reclaimed wood and gave it to family and friends. Before I knew it we were taking orders from word of mouth. So in 2010 we became official and started our little green business.

Without a doubt my favorite thing about our craft is saving the gorgeous wood. I get more enjoyment giving the wood a new use than I could have ever expected.

What inspires you?

My children inspire me. I’m a stay at home mom with two little girls. One is starting Kindergarten in a few weeks, and one just turned two years of age.

How do you make your craft, store or life eco-friendly?

1. Wine Cork Coaster Kit 2. Reclaimed Cabinet Door Chalkboard Hanger 3. Earring Genie

In our shop, we recycled and reuse anything we can get our hands on. Wood moldings, cabinet doors, hardware, post consumer paper waste, plastic containers, glass, mirrors, and shipping materials have all been recycled. In our life, we garden, compost, and buy organic, local and handmade when we can. I shop with reusable bags, don’t buy water bottles, and think conscious consumerism (voting with my dollars) is very important.

In one word, describe your creative process.

Satisfying.

Where do you create?

"His" side of the studio

We create outdoors when the weather permits and in our “studio” aka the garage. While resurfacing the garage floor a few years ago, my husband jokingly painted a black line down the middle with a HIS and HER on each side of the line. Now our respective Wooden Bee duties lie on each side of the black line and the business has taken over the entire garage. We have installed extra electrical outlets, lighting & cabinets since the creation of our Etsy shop.

What are you working on?

Salvaged mirror framed in reclaimed wood

I am working on two projects: a custom order and an Etsy order. The custom order is a salvaged mirror framed in reclaimed wood like a window. Our Etsy order is a request for a chalkboard made from cabinet doors and upcycled wine corks.

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

Do your research. Spend time learning about Etsy: who is selling comparable items and for how much, when it is good to list, renew and have sales, etc. Etsy has a network that can be very helpful if you are knowledgeable about it.

What is your favorite recycled or eco-friendly item?

Upcycled gardening tote

My recycled plastic gardening bag from a fellow Etsy seller & friend is one of my favorites. I sent her leftover plastic bags from purchasing organic manure for my garden, and she made me a gardening tote!

How do you promote your work?

http://thewoodenbee.etsy.com

http://www.thewoodenbee.com

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Wooden-Bee/134189043314320

http://twitter.com/#!/TheWoodenBee

To help spread the word, I also write for Love 2 Upcycle & am involved with Etsy teams like EcoEtsy & Upcyclers. When time and babysitters are permitting, I also make it to a few local handmade markets here in sunny Florida.