Buyers Choice: French Decor or Saints Homage

The creative process continues even after a handcrafted item goes up for sale. That is when the creative baton goes to a potential buyer who interprets the work in his/her own style. You can see this process in play in the "favorites" lists on Etsy.

Favorites lists are a great way to see how people interpret what you have made and start to transform your creations into their personal style. Below are examples of how two Etsy shoppers have interpreted my antiqued gold fleur de lis switch plate in very different contexts.

One seems to be going for a sophisticated European decorating style, and the other wants to pay homage to favorite sports team. Amazing how they can each be drawn to the same item. Isn't diversity grand!

Shopper 1: soft, French/European modern style

Shopper 2: fun, festive New Orleans Saints fan

Oh, and just a little sales pitch: this item is made-to-order in different sizes and colors so there is one for everyone!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/106673149/custom-black-and-gold-fleur-de-lis-light

Expanded light switch plate color palette

Fleur de lis light switch plates @ Marie Young Creative

Great ideas come from everywhere. In this case, the idea to introduce an expanded color palette to my fleur-di-lis switch plate design came from a new customer.

She liked the fleur design on my handcrafted polymer covered switch plates, but she needed something different than the bright gold (bottom right) to go with the colors in her home. I did a few sample plates and she chose the deep red in a 4-toggle and single toggle.

All of these designs are available for custom orders. View product details here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YoungCreative

Making a Wine Bottle Stopper

Fleur-De-Lis Wine Bottle Stopper

I've been really impressed by some of the creative wine bottle stoppers I've seen lately. This weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to try one of my own.

I was invited to a cocktail party to celebrate my friend Caroline's wedding, and I needed a meaningful gift. Her wedding theme features fleur-de-lys. In fact, I had the honor of creating her wedding cake topper using that theme. So how does one make a wine bottle stopper?

How to make a wine bottle stopper:

1. Start with a silver-plated bottle stopper wedding favor with an open heart on the top.
   
2. Unscrew the metal parts from the rubber stopper.
3. Fill the open heart with clay and bake.
4. Cover the whole piece with your decorative finish.

For this topper I used gold and black clay for the base coatings and then I added the fleur-de-lis. I created the fleur-de-lis by stamping the image onto flat clay and then cutting the shape out with a craft knife. I stamped more fleur-de-lys at the bottom using a flexible rubber stamp that curved around the base.

A Fleur-De-Lis Wedding Cake Topper Unveiled

My friend Caroline is getting married soon. Real soon. And she's in that hectic period where your to-do-list seems longer than the number of days left until the wedding. Yet I can assure her that for every stressor you face as a bride, there is something else that brings you joy. Hopefully, today I brought her joy by allowing her to cross one more item off her list.

Before Christmas she asked me if I would make her wedding cake topper. Her reception will be held at Muriel's in New Orleans, and she needed a simple, yet elegant topper that would fit the setting. For months we brainstormed, sketched, and prototyped. Today my part of the creative process came to a close as I handed over a beautiful New Orleans-inspired, black and gold, fleur-de-lis wedding cake topper.

Peeling away the protective tissue paper so she could have her first look was nerve-wracking. I poured my heart and soul into making it, and I didn't want to let her down. When I saw her smile, I knew that everything was okay. There is nothing quite like creating joy. That is what the creative process is all about for me.

Now the topper will be on its way to the next step of the creative journey as it enters the loving hands of the pastry artist. And then, after the wedding, it can take its place as a treasured keepsake in Caroline and Scott's home.

I'll keep you posted with wedding photos!