Spring Celebration -- Nature Acre

For today's feature as part of the Spring Celebration I am featuring a relatively new Etsy shop called Nature Acre. You could win this lovely gift set with a wine bottle bag and 4 coasters, valued at $15. Here is the description:



"We are on the brink of spring and summer, when outdoor entertainment and enjoyment will again be possible. Go wine tasting, and bring a bottle home in style with this reusable gift bag. Use it for yourself, or give as a gift. Bag is made from 100% cotton material, and is machine washable. Coasters are also made from 100% cotton, and are lined with thin polyester batting; they are also machine washable. Drawstring closure. Wine not included."

Nature Acre makes other household items like the Cedar Satchet and the Martini Olive Throw Pillow below. They also sell some interesting destash and vintage items.

The interesting thing about this shop is that the proprietor is married to none other than Sinclair of Nature With Me fame. Sinclair is a very talented and generous crafter/blogger who also organizes a charity craft project each month called Sharing Our Gifts. I've gotten to know her pretty well through the past year but I had no idea that her husband was also involved in the handmade community. I asked him a few questions about their lifestyle and goal of living a handmade and sustainable life.

1. How did you get involved with crafting and what are your mediums?
Like most people, I did crafting as a child. As I progressed into adulthood, my interests were more focused on music and theatre, but I have always drawn and considered myself an artist. My wife has been instrumental in rekindling my interest in crafting, mainly in the knitting realm, but also in needle felting and sewing. I like wool as a medium, but am open to many other materials as well.
2. Where do you get your inspiration?
I find inspiration from nature, works by artists, my daughter (who is becoming an outstanding artist in her own right) and my wife. My wife is very helpful when I want to bounce ideas around.

3. Did living a handmade life bring you and your family closer together?
Absolutely! It is very fulfilling to have a common interest in arts and crafts and a profound appreciation for all things handmade. We love to find and make unique and carefully crafted items. It brings us together to search for materials and discuss ideas, and it also slows us all down and causes us to live a more thoughtful and aware lifestyle.

4. Tell me about your goal of living a sustainable lifestyle and what does it mean to you?
Making my own usable items, growing my own food, learning to use manual tools of various trades, and purchasing as little assembly line merchandise as possible are some of my sustainability goals. It is important to have quality goods that were not created with the built-in, planned obsolescence with which we are bombarded in our consumer driven society. I have made little changes toward the goal of living a sustainable lifestyle, such as purchasing an antique safety razor and buying replacement blades that can be resharpened rather than using a disposable razor.

5. What are your goals for your business in the future?
At this point, I consider it a hobby. My goals are to grow as an artist and really discover what I can do and how far I can go within the realm of handmade crafts.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/natureacre
http://naturewithme.blogspot.com/
http://sharingourgifts.blogspot.com/


See the contest rules here to find out how you could win your own Wine Bottle Gift Bag Set!