Category Archives: Artfire Shop

I would like you to meet Amber Hirschfelt.  She is the owner/designer of the handmade shop – Kypress Designs.   Today Amber will tell us a little about her shop, what inspires her to create, and give us some  insight to her creative process.

Hi Amber, can you please tell us what you make and sell, how long have you been doing this, and what made you decide to open a shop?

I make jewelry and crochet baby items, hats, scarves, blankets, and occasionally purses.  I have been crocheting for 15 years. When I would take items with me to school, people asking me to make some for them made me decide to start selling.  I took a jewelry class in high school and have been in love with the craft ever since.  Again, people would see me making things for me or as gifts and place orders.  At the moment, business isn’t enough for me to not work, but I would like to one day be able to stay home with my daughter again and work from home full time.

Tell us a little more about you.  What other interests do you have?

I am 23, mom to a very beautiful three year old who likes to be my model, and wife to a wonderful gamer who has a book addiction as big as mine.  I also like to write fantasy novels and poetry–and I’ve been published! (However, the book was the wrong manuscript, so I wouldn’t buy that one… So many problems and a frustrating story that I’m not going to bog you down with.)  “Kypress” was a character that I rp’ed back in school; my friends and I would work out worlds and background stories.  Then to keep ourselves occupied, we’d rp them until we got bored and made a new world.  I’m actually working on writing a book about Kypress’ world right now.

And here is where you can find Amber:

I would like you to meet Claudia Coryell.  She has two handmade shops – LiquidAssets and Unique Gifts and Decor.  Today Claudia is going to tell us a little about her shops, what inspires her to create, and some about her creative process.

Hi Claudia, can you please tell us what you make and sell, how long have you been doing this, and what made you decide to open a shop?

I make sculptured wall décor of marine life, whales, fish, and stingrays to name a few. All the materials I use our earth friendly to help protect our environment. I have been doing sculptures since as long as I can remember but have just started taking it seriously since 2007. I started back in 2008 selling on E-bay but have dropped that for more serious venues since.

I have been an artist for many years . I love sculpture and sea life has become one of my favorite subjects. I was an avid scuba diver for 14+ years and grew to love and respect our oceans and all the life it holds within. I am a Sea Shepherd supporter and my wish is that my art would bring awareness to the importance of clean water for all mankind and the creatures that reside beneath the waves. We as a people are comprised of nearly 90% water. All life forms require hydration; water is a life giving force. Our oceans and waterways are becoming increasingly more contaminated by trash and unscrupulous practices by the very people who depend on them for life. Think of the food sources that our oceans and lakes provide us. The old adage goes Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a life time. What if one day there were no more fish? What happens to that proverbial man? This is a question we can all ask ourselves. What if all our water sources one day became depleted due to simple negligence?  For example, dumping our trash, oil, and etcetera, down the storm drains as opposed to disposing of these products the correct way?

We all have seen so many of the oceans creatures with plastic bags around their necks and six-pack rings, not to mention fishing line tied and wrapped around their bodies. We pay money to go on boats to see whales and dolphins because of their beauty and grace. What if our children or our children or grandchildren no longer had that option? What if the only way you could experience what we all take for granted was by holding this sculpture in your hand?

Tell us a little more about you.  What other interests do you have?