Buy Handmade vol 76 and GIVEAWAY!!!

This week we head to Arizona for our installment of Behind the Scenes...

Name: Lindsey Caroline Weber

Age: 29

Occupation: Engineer

Etsy Shop: IronandDibble.etsy.com

When did you start creating and how long have you been on Etsy?

I’ve been creating with my hands since as far back as I can remember. My grandfather, an engineer, and my grandmother, a painter, always had my sister and I working on a project. Wood, paint, clay, paper, natural elements, science experiments, take your pick. So, I guess you could say I’ve had a predisposition for this since the beginning. In college I took a jewelry fabrication class to escape the daily hum of all my engineering classes. That’s when I became hooked on metal. I already had an obsession with ceramics and throwing clay on the wheel and now I had added metal to the repertoire. Fast forward a few years, and a few metal working classes later, and I decided to open an Etsy shop. I had a great welding and blacksmithing teacher who helped grow my passion about 6 years ago. Up until now, life has just gotten in the way of getting started on anything more than family Christmas presents or my own home projects. One night, I decided to jump. I closed my eyes and opened my Etsy shop on July 27, 2013. A novice.

How did you come up with your business name, is there any special meaning behind it?

My business name is iron and dibble. My inspiration for my name stemmed from my love of gardening. A dibble is a pointed object, usually made from wood, which you use to plant seeds and bulbs in the dirt.

Has your Etsy shop become your full time job? If not, would you like it to be?

As of right now, I’m working on getting my Etsy shop off the ground between my career in corporate America and everything else life throws at you. I’d love for my Etsy shop and my art to become my full time job. 

How would you describe your creative process?
I see a piece of metal and I don’t see what it is at that moment but rather a spectrum of things it could potentially end up being. The challenge is picking just one idea.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I would say the majority of what I create is inspired by my love of gardening, the desert, and the outdoors or by my analytical side screaming for simplicity and functionality in everything I make. Being a Mechanical Engineer by education and a Manufacturing Engineer by trade, it’s fortunately (or unfortunately) in my nature to want to deconstruct everything and find a simple, streamline, calculated approach to making something better and functional.

Do you also sell your work at craft shows? 
To date, I have not tried to sell any of my own work at an art or craft show. I have however had the experience of helping my sister, an amazing jewelry designer, participate in multiple big shows including the Tempe Festival of the Arts and the Scottsdale Arts Festival. I can’t wait to set up a table right next to her one day.

What is your most cherished handmade item?
I have two items that I’m most proud of. One was a little copper box that I gave to my Mother as a gift. The copper box was fabricated to look like a little present with a fold formed lid with brass inlay for the ribbon and a brass fold formed “bow” on top. The second item would have to be my steel fire pit. It’s a big metal box with a drop in center for the fire and a big industrial frame holding it off the ground. Not made by me? All my against the grain jewelry. www.ashleyweber.etsy.com I have so much I don’t think I could pick just one piece. J

Apart from creating things, what do you like to do?
I love being active and outside. Or reading. I play soccer, mountain bike, work out, dig in the dirt, read and research all things gardening and healthy eating.

Was there ever any other job you dreamed of having growing up?
An archeologist or marine biologist. Hello! Indiana Jones! But really, does 29 years old still count as growing up? My dream job would be to own and operate a plant nursery. I want to inspire others to love plants and sustainability as much as I do. My nursery would have a community garden in the front where plots could be rented out to anyone in the community to grow whatever their heart desires. The back would house my greenhouse and water harvesting system… and maybe some chickens and everywhere in between would be filled with plants and metal art for sale. I’d also love to host educational events to help teach people about vegetable gardening, desert landscaping, dirt/garden ecosystem health, composting, etc. Sounds like I need a farm. ;-)

Five years from now you will be…
Five years from now I hope to be working towards making some aspect of that dream job a reality. Live dreams, right?

Describe yourself in five words:

Inquisitive, introverted, unexpected

Carrying on with the five theme, if I were to turn on your <insert whatever type of music player you use here>, what five artists/songs would I see on your recently played list?
Anything Pretty Lights or Lindsey Stirling.

Dave Matthews Band or Mofro

Or if I’m making salsa, Carlos Vives

Lastly, do you have any advice for anyone thinking about opening their own shop or participating in craft shows?
First and foremost, stop thinking about it and just do it. You have to start somewhere. Secondly, don’t get frustrate or discouraged. I still struggle with that part of it. I’ve watched my sister grow her business through the years and saw all the hard work she put into it. Until I opened my own shop, I have to say, I didn’t really understand how much work it really took. I definitely have a newfound appreciation and respect for all the artists out there who do this every day. If it’s what you love, go for it, even if it’s just on the weekends.

GIVEAWAY!!

Lindsey has been awesome enough to provide us with a gorgeous giveaway this week. This week is your chance to win one of these amazing handmade planter boxes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway