Lark Crafts

I’ve done a lot of interviews over the past two years on this blog, and I figure y’all are getting a little tired of my questions. (Okay, I’ve been in Asheville, North Carolina, for six years now, but “y’all” still doesn’t sound right from me even when I type it.)

So, when I was ready to interview Janice Berkebile and Tracy Stanley—owners of the business Wired Arts, fabulous teachers, renowned jewelry designers, and the authors of the new book Making Wire & Bead Jewelry: Artful Wirework Techniques—I came up with what I think proved to be a better idea: Ask Janice and Tracy to interview one another instead.

They were remarkably good sports about what a skeptic might have perceived as my avoiding work on the weekend.

Enjoy the interview, and click here to go to an earlier blog post with two project PDFs from the book (one from Tracy and one from Janice, naturally) and a collection of preview photos of projects in Making Wire & Bead Jewelry.

I encourage you to buy the book at your local bookstore or bead store, and of course it’s also available via Amazon and BN.com.

Janice:
Okay, first question: Tracy, what was your favorite part of writing Making Wire & Bead Jewelry?

Tracy:
My favorite part of writing the book was knowing that I could put out what I consider to be good, solid techniques in an easily followed format.

I also wanted to reach more students than I ever could in the past, and now those people who do take classes with me finally have a book to go home with that they can use as a reference in their wireworking ventures.

Question: What do you hope people will take away from this book, Janice?

Janice:
Thanks for asking, Tracy! To me the most important thing is technique. Because the book has so many step-by-step images, the processes are easy to follow visually, making this the go-to guide for wire-bending techniques.

After technique, the rest is just plain wire-bending fun!

Which of your projects is your favorite, Tracy, and why?

Tracy:
My favorite project to make is the Rock and Roll by the Sea necklace. It has a little bit of everything in it, from my favorite—a double loop wrap—to coiled eye links. It’s hard to get bored making this one because there are so many fun components, and every necklace you make looks so different depending on how you combine the components, beads, and charms!

My favorite piece to wear is the Wire-Wrapped Bangle. I wear mine every day. The specific one I wear every day is made up of all metal beads. This bracelet is so comfortable and it goes well combined with other bracelets.

How about you, Janice: What is your favorite project you created for the book?

Janice:
It’s hard for me to choose. My two favorite techniques are making spirals and basket weave. For that reason, I would choose my Beach Pebble Bracelet and Wire Pod.

As far as everyday wear, I choose my Beach Pebble Bracelet. It has simple techniques that I would use every day, especially the spiral. The spiral, one of the common forms found in nature, is one of my favorite techniques.

While we were writing the book, I made a Beach Pebble Bracelet, and it has only left my wrist once since then. That was at the Denver airport. I took it off for the TSA and promptly forgot it!

Some jewelry is just meant to be yours, though. The Denver airport was on its game and got it back to me in no time, so it’s safe and sound on my wrist again.

And basket weave—I have always been a fan of pods. With the Wire Pod project, you learn the basket weave technique, which is a soothing and tranquil process. All the while you’re creating a pod form, and then you get to stuff it with your favorite beads. It doesn’t get any better than that! [Editor’s note: The Wire Pod pendant is one of the projects posted as a PDF to download in this earlier post.)

So, tell me a little bit about how you began wire bending?

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Today we talk with Dana Schneider, the jewelry designer who made the mockingjay pin that actress Jennifer Lawrence wears in the movie The Hunger Games. As you know if you’ve read the books or seen the movie, this pin (worn by main character Katniss Everdeen) is an especially important part of the story—a symbol of rebellion in a post-apocalyptic world.

When I found out I was going to interview Dana Schneider, the jewelry designer who made the mockingjay pin for The Hunger Games movie, I was excited. But I was also not sure what to expect from a woman who has made jewelry for more than 50 films and television shows (including Planet of the Apes, The Matrix sequels, and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), designed what Cher has described as “her favorite ring,” and is friends with Marilyn Manson.

Within moments on the phone, I realized I was talking to one of the most engaged, confident, and also humble and generous artists I’ve ever met. She loves what she does and at the same time is very clear about just how hard her work is.

She is equally passionate discussing the magic of movie making, heavy metal music, women with charm bracelets jangling beside her at the symphony, and her own work in her studio and her Etsy jewelry shop.

Can you tell me a little about how you got started designing jewelry?

I learned basic jewelry-making skills as a child from my father, who was an engineer: how to cast, how to solder, how to use a pair of pliers. I’ve always just naturally been a craftsperson. I’ve also always been a movie fan.

When I attended the Rhode Island School of Design, I planned to focus on animation, but in my freshman year I decided to do sculpture instead—foundry work with heavy forged steel, cast bronze, and aluminum. Then when I graduated, I decided I didn’t want to have a career as a fine artist.

Why not?

I felt art was about communicating, and I knew that I was young and didn’t have a lot to say yet.

I got a job in the repair department at Tiffany & Co. in New York City. But I didn’t actually repair the jewelry—I did public relations for the repair department. And I learned how people use and abuse their jewelry, how they don’t want to think about chains breaking and pearls needing to be restrung—especially on pieces from Tiffany.

I realized that when people buy something, they want it to last, and I could understand that. I started my own jewelry business as soon as I left Tiffany, and I’ve been making jewelry ever since.

So how did you start designing jewelry for movies?

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At Lark Crafts, we’re pretty big fans of all things handmade, as well as the concept of handmade: something made by hand with a unique and heartfelt purpose. (We’re also located in the heart of downtown Asheville, North Carolina: a spot of beauty if ever there was one.) So it was really exciting to learn about The Makery, the craft business brainchild of sisters Sarah Rose, Brita, and Krista Nordgren, and its aim to connect North Carolina artists and art-lovers online and in the real world.

I had the privilege of chatting with Sarah Rose about The Makery, its mission, and the Kickstarter campaign designed to support it. I hope you enjoy hearing about these awesome gals and their very cool endeavors as much as I did, and make sure you check them out on their blog, website, Facebook, and Twitter! The Makery’s Kickstarter campaign runs through March 31st, and you can learn much more about it from Sarah Rose below.

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You’ve described your start-up as “The Makery: a sales website for art and crafts in North Carolina.” Can you describe this a bit more—maybe delve into the nuts and bolts, as well as the heart and soul of The Makery?

Of course! I’ll start with the heart and soul. The Makery is built on a passion for art and the creative spirit. We love the idea that people all over the state are pouring their talent and passion into making things with their hands. North Carolina has a great history of art and handcraft – from the textile and furniture industries to the famous Seagrove pottery – and we’re now seeing a resurgence of interest in high-quality handmade objects as people become disillusioned with mass-produced culture. It’s really a nationwide (and international!) movement, but we’re focusing on North Carolina because it’s our home state and the place to which we feel most connected.

As far as nuts and bolts are concerned, The Makery will combine e-commerce with buying local. The setup will be similar to sites like Fab.com or Groupon: people who are members of The Makery will have access to weekly deals on carefully selected items by that week’s three featured artists. We hope to become a trusted venue where buyers can purchase beautiful and unique items at a reduced price and be exposed to new artists that they may not have seen before, and where the featured artists will gain exposure and new fans.

 

Who are the people behind the wheel and in the engine room of the Makery, and how did you decide to work together on this project?

The people behind The Makery are me and my two sisters, Brita and Krista. I think we’ve all dreamed for years about having some big project that would bring the three of us together with our interests and passions, and it seems that we’ve finally found it! It started as a loose concept that has gradually built momentum over the past months, and we’re really excited about the direction things are taking.

So you’re sisters! How cool is that. What is it about working together both creatively and as entrepreneurs that inspires and challenges you?

So far it’s been amazing to see how naturally we’ve been able to utilize each of our unique strengths and support each other to get things done. Brita is the real artist of the three of us. She is an amazing designer and papercut artist with backgrounds in art history and furniture design, so she provides a lot of our aesthetic direction. Krista is the natural entrepreneur and a major source of positive energy for the group, as well as being a good writer. Like our father (who’s a longtime entrepreneur and teaches creative entrepreneurship at Duke), Krista gets a contagious excitement about new ideas. For my part, I’m a writer (actually a poet), and I also have experience as a publicist, so I can bring those skills. I think I also keep the group focused since I’m very organized.

Our biggest challenge so far has been getting things done long-distance. We all live in different places right now so we have all our meetings via Skype! This summer we’re hoping to spend more time with the three of us in person, which will be nice.

 

The Makery is all about artists, crafters, and artisans in North Carolina, as well as the foundation of buying local. How does the concept of “local” resonate with you? What do you hope this focus brings to the makers and buyers who support The Makery?

The local focus is really what makes The Makery special. Even though we will be an online platform, our hope is that the connections we make between artists and art-lovers online will translate into real-world relationships – fellow artists connecting with each other to share ideas and resources, and people supporting makers at craft fairs and gallery openings, for example. When you purchase an item from The Makery, whether it’s for yourself or as a gift for Christmas or a baby shower, etc., you’ll not only be getting an awesome and unique product, but also one that was lovingly handmade by one of your own NC neighbors. Everybody wins!

 

Tell us about your Kickstarter campaign—what is your goal? How will the campaign make The Makery happen? What do we need to know in order to get involved and pledge to the campaign?

We’re very excited to be on Kickstarter (check out the cool video that Brita put together!), and we have our fingers crossed that we reach our funding goal by the March 31 deadline. The way Kickstarter works is that if you don’t get all of your funding in time you come away with nothing, so it’s really important that we raise the money we need in the next few days! Our funding goal is $4,450, which will cover most of our basic operations for our first year. For example, we need a fully functional online shop and email service, shipping supplies and stationary, and the legal fee for forming an LLC. For a new business our overhead is very low, but without the money we won’t be able to get our shop running. Right now we’re at about 40% of our goal with 10 days left, so we need more backers in order to succeed.

Take a moment to visit our Kickstarter page for more information and check out our video and the great rewards we’re offering to backers (like screen-printed tote bags and mix CDs of our favorite local bands). Every pledge, big or small, makes a difference! If you like what we’re doing, tell your craft-loving friends, family, and co-workers! We’d love your help spreading the word.

 

If you wrote an indie love song to the Makery, what would you write in the chorus? You know, the part of the song that people hear on their alarm when they wake up in the morning and then hum all day long.

Their hands made you, spun you,

hung you, painted you,

hammered and cut you,

stitched and taped you,

shaped you into my NC heart!

 

Thanks so much, Sarah Rose + Brita + Krista. We wish you great success in your vision for The Makery!

To learn more about Sarah Rose, Brita, Krista, and their endeavors with creating The Makery, find them here:

The Makery Kickstarter Campaign: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1077765545/the-makery
The Makery Blog: http://makeitnc.wordpress.com/
Join: http://www.themakerync.com/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMakeryNC
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TheMakeryNC

Today is the first day of spring, and what better way to celebrate this beautiful, colorful, fresh season than with a glimpse into the creative life of Alli Bartkowski, author of Quilled Flowers: A Garden of 35 Paper Projects. Alli is the founder and owner of Quilled Creations, the world’s leading provider of paper quilling supplies, and she’s an accredited member of the North American Quilling Guild.

With how-to photos, step-by-step instructions, and templates for every project, Quilled Flowers is filled with a gorgeous array of blooms including a Peony Bouquet, Zinnia Gift Bows, a Ranunculus Hair Comb, Pretty Potted Violets, flowered cards, stand-alone blossoms, and inspiration for weddings, gifts, and décor of all styles. Join Alli as she shares a fresh take on paper quilling through her own original designs and techniques, and celebrate spring by creating your own garden of paper flowers!

 

How would you describe the book Quilled Flowers to someone who hasn’t yet read it?

Alli: Quilled Flowers is book that will inspire you to learn how to quill! It’s full of projects and techniques for the beginner to the very experienced crafter. Quilling is often seen flat and in two-dimensions for cards or in frames. But for this book I wanted to also bring the beauty of quilling to life in three-dimensions through flowers that can be placed as a centerpiece on your kitchen table.

 

What were some of your favorite experiences while writing the manuscript and creating all the flowers?

Alli: My family and friends’ feedback was my favorite experience. Many of them would ask me to create their favorite flower for the book. They inspired me to try making flowers that I’ve never created with quilled shapes. So when I see those projects in my book, I think of them. For example, my younger daughter fell in love with foxgloves. So for that framed project, I added two little bees to remind me of her and her sister.

 

Do you have a favorite project among this garden of beautiful paper creations?

Alli: My favorite project would be the ranunculus or peonies. I made so many of these spiral cut flowers with different edges, shapes, sizes and colors. I was determined to perfect this technique because I could see the potential in this idea. There’s also nothing like using your hands to really crinkle, mold, and shape paper into something so beautiful! When I show my students this technique, they usually gasp when I tell them to crush the spiral in their hands! But it really works! Our hands can be the best tools!

 

In the introduction, you talk about portability being one of the best parts of paper quilling. Where are some of the interesting places you’ve found yourself working on quilled projects?

Alli: When I travel on the airplane, I like to take my quilling along. I also love quilling on long car rides with my husband driving (of course). It helps me from getting carsick! But the most interesting place would be where my friend ended up bringing her quilling. While in labor, she took her quilling to the hospital to pass time between contractions. Let’s just say she was able to introduce quilling to many nurses and doctors there!

 

In the book, you describe the first time quilling caught your attention and how it inspired you to begin experimenting and designing on your own. What is it about the art of rolling and shaping strips of paper that you think speaks to you as an artist?

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We spoke with Dora Ohrenstein about her recently released Custom Crocheted Sweaters: Make Garments That Really Fit to learn more about her approach to the book and her design process. And do be sure to check out the upcoming podcasts (listed below) for even more Dora!

When I had the opportunity to do another book with Lark, I decided to do one that I knew crocheters really needed: a book about sweater construction and fit. There was nothing available specifically for crochet on this topic. Over the last several decades, crochet had been promoted primarily as a craft for home dec, and many aspects of garment-making had fallen out of use. Even people with top-notch stitching skills are often out of their element when it comes to necklines, armholes, and the like.

When I took up crochet a few years ago, I only made garments, as fashion is my passion. But I too had to rely on knitting books to get the information I needed about sweaters, and some of it had to be “reinterpreted” to work for crochet.  So this book reflects everything I’ve learned about how to make gorgeous-looking, well-fitting sweaters using your hook.

The book has ten sweater patterns, using a variety of constructions, including Dropped Shoulder, Raglan (in pieces), Top Down one piece, Circular, and Set-in Sleeves.  The sweaters are meant to be wearable in everyday life, and most go great either with jeans or a skirt.  I’ve been thrilled with the response to these sweaters: people are saying they are stylish and very “New York.” I have to say I love them all and have been wearing them myself!
 
To those who yearn to make sweaters but are fearful, I urge you to take the plunge. The information you need is in this book, though it may take a while to absorb all the lessons here. It’s definitely a one-step-at-a time endeavor. The book covers how to measure yourself, how to read schematics, breaking down patterns into manageable sections, blocking and finishing, choice of yarn and hook, gauge and math, and how to apply the latter to alterations. There are alteration lessons for each sweater and detailed explanations of each sweater construction.

I know many women face the issue of not being a “standard” size. For example, your bust size may fall into the large or 1X range of measurements, but the rest of you – shoulder width, arm length, etc. – is a small or medium. If you pick a sweater size based on your bust size, the likelihood of having it fit is slim. It will need alteration. The good news is, once you understand this alteration, it will be very similar from one sweater to the next.  You can become a master of fit for your body, and be assured that any garment you undertake will be made to your dimensions, not a mythical standard-sized person who doesn’t really exist.
 
For those who want to delve more deeply into the topic, I also offer classes via my website, Crochet Insider.  You can find more info about the classes here . Feel free to write to me at doraoh (at) earthlink (dot) net if you have further questions or thoughts to share!

Tune in for more Dora on these podcasts!

Planet Purl – Tuesday, March 20th at 8pm EST – Sign up early!

The Yarn Thing – Tuesday, March 27 at 12pm EST Click to listen!

Jamie Cloud Eakin is the popular author of three books — Dimensional Bead Embroidery, Beading with Cabochons, and Bugle Bead Bonanza — with more than 50,000 books in print. She was generous enough to do a little interview with us, and even more, to create and let us share a wonderful stitch index for Dimensional Bead Embroidery and Beading with Cabochons, as she explains below.

Jamie lives in Modesto, California, and she teaches classes all over. See more of her work at http://www.studiojamie.com/.

Jamie, what are your favorite bead shops?

I love ALL bead shops! I can’t walk into one without some treasure that calls my name and has to come home with me.

But it really is more than just the beads. I love spending time with other beaders and people who love beads.

There is a joy and energy in bead shops that is difficult to describe. I think many people go to bead stores and bead shows thinking “I’m here for the beads,” but it really is so much more than that.

My theory is that the creation process accesses certain parts of our brain. Whether you are designing something yourself or following a pattern by someone else, the transformation process, the creation process, has an elevating influence on the person.

I think this happens more in beadwork than in some other crafts because of the process itself. You’ve heard many times, “When you are angry, count to 10 before you act to calm yourself.” Well, think about how many times you are doing this “counting” when you are beading … lots!

For this and other reasons, I think beading lets us get in touch with the best of ourselves. The end product is a huge bonus, but it’s the process itself that keeps us beading.

There are many types of beading — from stringing to elaborate stitches — so there is a process available for everyone. It doesn’t matter what your choice of process is, it is all wonderful.

How much do you teach in a given year? What do you enjoy about teaching, and what do you find most challenging about it?

How much? That’s hard to say in terms of a number or count — let’s just say LOTS.

I teach at my local bead store and some shows and even at my local bead society.

I love spending time with other beaders. I get a special pleasure seeing new beaders discover the joys of beading and experienced beaders take it to a whole new level.

It is really fascinating to see how different people can see the same instructions and interpret them differently. The challenge is to create instructions and illustrations that work for everyone. Teaching a class where you can see the reactions to the instructions is a big help in doing that.

 

Dimensional Bead Embroidery, your recently released book, is already a popular bestseller, and of course your Beading with Cabochons is widely regarded as a bead-book classic. But these are both technique-driven books focused on bead embroidery. Why would a beader want to have both of them?

Good question! This really comes down to my philosophy of beading, which says that techniques are tools in your beading toolbox. Both books are filled with techniques, and there is very little overlap. So you actually need both to fill your toolbox.

I find that many people who do bead embroidery tend to use the same techniques over and over again. These books give you more options for design — and for beading fun!

Personally, I’ve used a list of stitches and techniques at my beading station that I refer to when designing. I thought a much more useful thing would be pictures and a page reference guide for other people.

So, I created a kind of cross-index of stitches in both books that shows a picture of the technique results, which book each one is in. and the corresponding page number. [Download a PDF of the index here.]

Both of these books are used by many beaders as reference books while they’re designing and beading. I think this index will help those people.

Jamie, what are you working on right now, bead-wise?

I’ve been working on new books concentrating on design. One of the questions I hear most often is, “How do you come up with that?” These books attempt to answer that question and give advice for doing it yourself.

 

Rachel Nelson-Smith is one of the most popular and talented beadwork designers and teachers in the world. Rachel is the author of the new book Rachel Nelson-Smith’s Bead Riffs, as well as an earlier release Seed Bead Fusion, and also a contributor to numerous magazines and books, including the gallery book Masters: Beadweaving. Visit her online at www.rachelnelsonsmith.com.

We also invite you to sample projects from Rachel’s new Bead Riffs book we’ve posted on this blog: Download a PDF of the Billie’s Bounce necklace or a PDF of the gorgeous Rondo neckpiece.

Rachel, this is a distinct variant of the standard first question for my interviews with beaders: How did you start … singing jazz? Tell us about what that experience—and that work and play—are like.

A mutual high school friend of local ladies I sang renaissance madrigals with, Michael Parker, once asked me if I was interested in singers like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. In response to my disinterest he made a mix tape featuring jazz singers like those two, along with others like Bette Midler and Edie Brickell.

The music really grew on me as I listened to the recordings over and over—particularly the song “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most,” because Parker said it was a very difficult song to sing. Years later, my friend Craig Pena introduced me to his coworkers who had a garage band called The Jazz Dogs in San Jose, California. With this group, led by Apple software engineer Kris Stephens in psychologist Tom Martin’s garage, I learned to sing jazz.

Kris later took me in and I became his housemate. With his experience as a jazz trombone major, he taught me many of the ins and outs of jazz from a musician’s perspective, rather than a singer’s. Another member of the Jazz Dogs group, Nick Beason, who worked for Compaq at the time, would share his jazz CDs with me. We’d shop at Tower Records after practice and attend live shows at Yoshi’s in Oakland, Bimbo’s in San Francisco, and other venues in the Bay Area. Those concerts, recordings, and discussions expanded my jazz knowledge.

Later, I attended the weeklong Stanford Jazz Festival as a student of the well-recorded singer and pianist Dena DeRose, as well as Bay Area singer Madeline Eastman and one of my all-time-favorite international singers, Mark Murphy. Drummer Billy Higgins was also teaching that summer, along with bassist Ray Drummond. The horizons really expanded. In a vocal jazz class with Roger Letson at DeAnza College, I was even beginning to scat and gain more live performance confidence.

It was during this time I volunteered regularly at the local jazz station KCSM 91.1 FM in San Mateo for its fund drives—answering phones and taking donations—and this lead to volunteering on a near-weekly basis with radio announcer Jesse “Chuy” Varela. Chuy would share extra CDs and concert tickets with me for the volunteer work I’d do, mainly entering CD information into their database.

Ultimately, I had attended so many concerts at Yoshi’s through the gratis tickets from the radio station that the Yoshi’s ticket-takers would let me in whether I had a ticket or not—and, most importantly, whether or not the show was sold out. Many times a single chair was pulled into the center aisle so I could listen to a sold-out show.

As my love of listening, performing, and singing grew, I drove many miles to attend jam sessions in San Francisco at Rasselas and Bruno’s, as well as in Santa Cruz, where I ultimately spent time on the board of the Jazz Society of Santa Cruz and conducted their weekly jam session.

Great origins story, Rachel. Is the story about how you started beading as dramatic? Why don’t you tell it?

After a failed semester away at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, studying musical theater, I returned home to live with my parents in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I took up classes at the local junior college as a mostly undecided English, psychology, and theater major with a short attention span. To help with expenses I got a job in downtown Santa Cruz at the local bead shop, Bead It.

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It’s that time of year, friends: fall is growing cooler, winter will soon be here, the holidays are upon us, and our thoughts turn to the delicious traditions of making, sharing, and enjoying food together. This is the time of year when we think about the gifts and treats we’ll make for one another (and hey, maybe even for ourselves), as well as the treats we look forward to receiving.

It’s a time of year for sweets—luscious, dreamy caramels; rich, decadent fudge; crispy, fragrant peanut brittle; billowy coconut nougat; light-as-air meringues; and even the savory side of mixed roasted nuts. Nina Wanat’s book, “Sweet Confections: Beautiful Candy to Make at Home,” celebrates the art of making these treats at home, right in your own kitchen, where you can taste-test share these gifts with loved ones near and far.

I was privileged to be the editor working with Nina on this book, and it was a sheer delight getting to know her (and learning about the delectable craft of candymaking). I thought it might be nice to sit down with her and learn a bit about the life of a chocolatier/author. Enjoy!

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How would you describe the book “Sweet Confections” to someone who hasn’t yet read it?

Nina :: “Sweet Confections” is a candymaking cookbook that novices should find accessible and experts should find interesting.  If you’ve never made candy before, you’ll be able to do it correctly following the instructions, and if you have experience, you’ll appreciate the variations and ways that the recipes incorporate different flavors.

There are recipes for traditional favorites, such as toffee and chocolate fudge, that I tried to refine for contemporary palates – to make them more flavorful, and less sweet – as well as other candies, such as strawberry-lemonade marshmallows and pecan pie taffy, that are a bit more eclectic.

You mention in the book’s introduction that making candy makes a person feel “like a kid with keys to a candy store.” How has that feeling developed for you throughout your candymaking career?

Nina :: When I started culinary school 6 years ago, I had never made candy before – and I wasn’t sure whether having been in a lot of candy stores would translate well into being able to make it! Peanut butter fudge was the first recipe assigned to me in confectionary class. I was a wreck throughout the process because I was worried that I was doing something wrong (and thinking “does that look right? I don’t know, maybe not…”), but then it was finally done and I cautiously tasted it. And it was amazing!  I felt exhilarated by that peanut butter fudge, and it gave me the confidence to try more recipes, and worry a bit less.

Once I realized that I could make candy, I felt a wonderful sense of freedom to start making candy exactly how I liked it.  My extra-curricular experiments started out at home, usually from a craving or a curiosity about a technique, and those recipes became the foundation for the handmade candy bar company that I founded in 2007.  It’s a wonderful accomplishment to be able to make something exactly suited to your tastes, and to have others enjoy it, too.

What is it about making candy that fits with your personality and entrepreneurial spirit? Do you think the act of making candy is suited to a certain type of creativity or persona?

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