T.E.S.T. Interview: Hellhound Fashion

We hope to introduce you to all the great Etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 54^th in our series with Luka of HellhoundFashion.

What is your most significant achievement (i.e., your proudest moment) with your creative business to date?

I'm still only starting to fully put myself into the business so I haven't seen much by way of results just yet. I think my biggest accomplishment is probably that I haven't given up yet. It's easy to get discouraged by a slow startup, which I've already experienced (this is my third attempt at my own business!), you've just gotta believe in yourself enough to keep going even - or especially - if you haven't made any money after a year. That and finally getting likes on Facebook from people I don't actually know!

Tell me your story about who you are and how it all started.

I'm a 20-something life-long art kid and animal lover. I started sewing when I was a kid, going through bags of hand-me-down clothing from my cousin and reworking them to fit my size and style. Hellhound Fashion started with me making geeky jewellery for myself that I couldn't find anywhere else, and a business plan I had to write in college. After years of my friends asking for me to make things for them and telling me I should sell elsewhere, I decided to open up my Etsy shop. I liked the name, tagline, and branding I'd developed for my marketing class assignment so much that I decided to use it as the basis for the shop.

Where and how did you learn your craft?

I first started sewing on my mother's machine some time in the '90s after a little instruction from her on how to use it. It was years before I realized bobbins could be wound on the machine and not just by hand! It wasn't until my last year of high school when I actually took my first sewing class, and after taking a couple years off after graduation, I went to college for a three-year Fashion Arts program.

The jewellery side of things was entirely self-taught starting with one boring rainy day in my first year of college. Lastly, my screen printing started in my high school art class. Admittedly, I did little to nothing to improve my printing skills until the last couple years. My general artsy skills can be attributed to genetics (my mother was a craft painter when I was a kid, and my dad is a very talented drawer even if he doesn't practice much anymore), and having an amazing art teach in high school.

Describe your creative process and inspiration(s).

My creative process is quite lengthy and a bit annoying at times. It used to be that I would just go straight to making something without any clear idea of how I was going to go about it. Just stitching things together and awkwardly fitting it to myself while wearing it. Since college, learning new techniques and why my old ones weren't necessarily good, that's all changed. Sometimes my ideas come from the fabrics I buy, sometimes the fabrics I buy are specific for my ideas. Either way, once I have a solid idea floating around in my head, I try sketching it out as best I can, but it never really translates the way I want it to. That's all different once the drafting starts!

With clothing, I sew up a quick muslin from my pattern blocks (think the plainest item of clothing ever), throw them on my mannequin, and start drawing on the lines of how I want the finished item to look. Once that's all said and done, I trace pattern pieces from there and begin sampling. Because you can't really tell how something will look until it's made from the final fabric, how the fabric hangs with the cut and if that armhole really sits where its supposed to or if it cuts into your armpit, the sampling can sometimes take days. Days of fussing over small details, screaming bloody murder at my sewing machine, realizing I have a better idea and having to start all over, until finally I end up with something I'm proud of. That's usually when I leave it be, grab a cup of tea and celebrate by being lazy for a full day before getting into the real constuction.

This translated into my other forms of art as well. Now, when I decide to do a new painting, I draw out the idea first. Then I work out the colouring and shading on paper with pencil crayons and ink before getting into the actual painting. It definitely helps to avoid being let down by your own mistakes if you work out your approach beforehand!

My inspiration comes from all over the place. The fabrics I buy, street and runway fashion, comic characters' costume design, the graffiti on the back streets of Queen West where all the best fabric shops are. Bright colours with dark contrasts, the right attitude, architecture and multicoloured hair. Inspiration can be found anywhere once you open yourself up to it!

Is this your full time job? What is life like outside of your creative world?

Hellhound Fashion has just recently become my full time job. That's not to say it's sustainable just yet, but I'm fortunate that our country believes enough in small business to help fund the beginning stages. I'm in development for all kinds of things that will hopefully see the light of day before this year ends. Outside of Hellhound, my life revolves around music. My house not only serves as HF HQ, but also as the jam space for many Toronto bands thanks to my very talented musician roommates. If I'm not buried in some sort of creative outlet (sewing, drawing, painting), or immersed in whatever music I might be listening to be it live or a recording, I'm probably spending time with my best friend in the world: my dog, Maila.


How do you envision you and your creative business growing in the near future?

Later in the year I plan on expanding into clothing. Using oversized t-shirts with licenced prints, my plan is to create edgy but feminine clothing for all us she-geeks out there who are tired of the same old boring t-shirt, but still want to show off our nerdy side. But it won't just be clothing, it will be purses as well! I have more ideas than I know what to do with, so my visions of the future are always changing, but I do know that I'd like to have a full (even if small) women's line by this time next year, and to expand on my mens accessories. Look for cufflinks around Christmas time!

Check out the other items available from Luka in her Etsy shop! You can find more of her work on her Tumblr, blog, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Interviewed by Rovena of HandmadesRovena in May 2013 in Toronto.

T.E.S.T. Interview: Bllk Box Clothing

We hope to introduce you to all the great Etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 50^th in our series with Sarah of BllkBox.

Tell us a little about you and your shop.

I'm a sort-of-artist by training, which doesn't mean much except that I've taken on the life-task of making things and then thinking about them. It's a great way of being in and relating to the world, but it's too easy to float in a pristine and imaginary world of ideas, that will never get measured in the (possibly crass but also live-or-die honest) commercial marketplace. Bllk Box is a way to keep myself grounded in the real world of making and selling useful things. Running a business lets me evaluate my practice in business-terms, which are refreshingly direct compared to subjective aesthetic value judgements.

What is your "day job"?

I'm lucky enough not to have one! Besides my Etsy store, I have a couple Toronto stockists and I do print commissions for local bands, small businesses, teach workshops, etc. Screenprinting has the wonderfully useful quality of being both a creative medium and an industrially-competitive manufacturing process. By diversifying my income-streams, I manage to make a living. Of course, it certainly helps to be a young person with no dependents (except a cat). It's socially acceptable for me to frugal-it-up by eating lots of ramen and baked potatoes and splitting the rent with a couple of (fantastic) roommates.

How did you get started?

When I graduated from art school, I crashed into some difficult truths about politics and privilege. It took some long nights dodging the rubble of my fast-crumbling bullshit-castle and a year in purgatory doing social work and activism before I felt ready to rebuild my aesthetic practice. Bllk Box is an attempt to inhabit the ruins.

What inspires your work?

Tumblr, google image search, tumblr, obsolete technology, cheap plastic, dollarama, my childhood, tumblr, Chinatown, tumblr. The way images float around in the digital soup of the internet and are recycled and recombined is an endless source of inspiration. If I were an academic, I'd call it curation, but I'm not, so why get jargony? Chinatown is like 'the internet: the place'.

How did you decide to focus on hand dyed and printed clothing?

Well, I took a look at the skills I'd amassed at art school, and screenprinting seemed to be one of the only ones that were legitimately marketable. The economics of painting (what I studied) are pretty insane – work on a painting for months and end up with this rarified commodity that has to cost quite a bit if you want to get anything like fair remuneration for your time, which of course restricts your potential customer base significantly. Screenprinting is generous in a way painting isn't – it allows me to make things that people in the same socioeconomic tier as me can afford, things that are for people in a tangible way.

Small batch dyeing is something I've always loved, and for very different reasons – it's got a sort of built-in-uniqueness. No matter how skilled I become, there is always an element of unpredictability that contrasts well with the machine-like repetition of a successful screenprinting run.

What makes your Etsy shop unique?

Besides the one-of-a-kind-ness of small batch dyeing as a practice, my design practice is conceptually rigourous and my production model is entirely handmade/human-scale – but my line is still priced to compete with “fast fashion.”

What goals or plans do you have in store for your business?

Currently I'm stocked on a consignment basis, but I'd like to move into wholesale and focus on production. I'd also like to do more commissioned screenprinting (my prices are very reasonable, especially for small runs, just sayin'). I’ve been dreaming about some equipment upgrades lately – I have a carousel press, but as I'm hired for more multi-colour jobs, I am coveting a more professional model with micro-registration. Or an exposure unit that can handle larger screens (my current max-size is 20x24). Hopefully someday!


Bllk Box items are available for sale at Untitled&Co (717 Queen St. W) and sometimes at Grasshopper Records (1167 Dundas St. W).

Check out the other items available from Sarah in her Etsy shop! You can find more of her work on her tumblr and blog.

Interviewed by Flavia and Dona of BeyondTheJar in March 2013 in Toronto.

T.E.S.T. Interview: Art That Moves

We hope to introduce you to all the great Etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 35^th in our series with Christine of ArtThatMoves.

Celebrating art, creating and joy everyday

Exploring the energy that happens when images and words or poems connect - Art That Moves - is one of my favourite ways to create. I start with a word or a poem and allow an image to unfold in my mind. I have always used this technique painting on canvas and working with linoblock prints. Opening my Etsy shop allowed me to expand into the fabulous world of printing on fabric.

I love designing a screenprint image which I then handprint onto a plain piece of fabric. That action transforms the fabric into a piece of art. Working in my studio I might print two yards or twenty in an afternoon. Printing allows me to shut off my mind and flow. The rhythm of pouring the ink - running the squeegee over the fabric again and again is meditative and satisfying.

Because of the joy I felt creating new textiles I started to teach kids and then adults screenprinting technique and I love to watch them feel the same thrill I do as they transform fabric into something new.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you started your shop.

I joined Etsy a few years ago, but I don't really feel I focused on my shop properly until the last couple of months. It's only been recently that I have focused on improving my photographs, my range of products and my presence on the site.

For the last few years I had been focusing more on painting. I was working on promoting my career as a fine artist. Between that and working in schools mural making with children and running adult printing workshops I didn't spend as much time as I wanted on my Etsy site and the work there.

There was a big shift in my life this year and I decided to leave the studio space I was renting in order to shift my focus from painting to printmaking. I realized that though I enjoy painting very much - it's really printmaking that brings me the most joy and allows me to express myself in the way that I want. Printmaking is more affordable for people and it's primitive appeal reaches more people I think.

What has been your biggest challenge so far on Etsy?

Becoming visible to my audience and committing to the time needed to create a cohesive shop with good photographs, descriptions and tags.

What about your greatest success?

I haven't had a greatest success really, but I love connecting with the community on Etsy. I have received convos from people telling me how much my work inspired them or touched them in some way. It's so easy to reach out on Etsy and I'm just learning to tap into the communities there.  

What inspires you to create a new item?

First "I" get out of the way then I allow whatever I'm feeling to bubble up. I try to let the joy of what I'm feeling come out without censoring myself. It can be anything from soup to nuts, but if I'm feeling it I try not to think about whether or not it is going to be for the shop or whether it's a gift or whether it's just for me. For instance, the Santas I made this year. The first thing that came from my mind was - WHAT the? - then I stopped the chatter and just had the most fun ever creating them. I love looking at them. They make me happy.  Posting them in my Etsy shop got me invited to display at two local stores.

Do you have any exciting projects coming up?

I do but I can't talk about it yet. I'm planning to launch something new and exciting in January.

And finally, just for fun, what is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

Peanut butter and chocolate of course.

Check out the other items available from Christine in her Etsy Shop! You can find more of her work on her websites, www.christinepensa.com and www.artthatmoves.ca, as well as Twitter and Facebook

Interviewed by Emma of IndeedEmmaDesign in November 2012 in Toronto.

Kid Icarus campaign

T.E.S.T. member Kid Icarus not only produces handmade, screenprinted items, they run a brick and mortar shop "in the heart of Kensington Market" with a screen print studio and retail. They stock "the best in contemporary handcraft, focusing on paper products, local talent, and unique design," they let people see the screenprinting in action and they run workshops. They've started an indiegogo campaign to raise $10,000 to help them expand and offer more facilities, right here in Toronto. Check out their campaign and consider whether you would like to contribute. There are some great perks offered to donors!

"Our campaign is to take what we have built, and bring it up to its true potential. A financial bridge is needed to help us:

• Move into a new space and retail shop where we can continue to expand and foster the arts and crafts community
• Heighten awareness of traditional print methods and the visual artists who work with these antiquated and time honoured traditions.
• Foster local and regional handcraft especially via workshops and talks
• Provide space for other professional screen printers to access our equipment and create. "

Crywolf's First Ever Pop-up Shop

Rose and Stephanie from one of our newest member shops, crywolf are excited to announce that they will be having their first ever pop-up shop!

July 23rd - 29th 2012
at Narwhal Art Projects in the Junction,
2988 Dundas Street West.

Crywolf is a very small company of two, with a strong DIY attitude as their driving force. Rose and Stephanie combine their skill sets to do everything involved with running Crywolf. As young entrepreneurs, this will be their first time showcasing and selling their products in a brick & mortar retail setting - their first official "shop". The most interesting aspect of the event is that we will be having a party on the night of July 26th which celebrates the launch of the pop-up as well as the launch of our in-house line, Crywolf Cuts. They will also have a limited edition t-shirt available for that night only. When purchased, it will be hand silkscreened on the spot by Rose or Stephanie of Crywolf. There will also be a custom nail-art booth set up and unveiling some collaborations with local artists.

For more information visit their Facebook event page

T.E.S.T. interview: RobertRatPrints

We hope to introduce you to all the great etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 24^th in our series with Rob of RobertRatPrints.

What is your background / how did you get started in screen printing?

My background is in graphic design. I think I've always been fascinated with screen printing thanks to a huge influence to Andy Warhol's work and realized that it was something I really wanted to try. I've always had a natural ability to work with my hands and I think that's really aided in making the natural progression to screen printing.

How did RobertRatPrints come to be?

I started selling my work at local art fairs and a colleague mentioned that I should sell my prints on Etsy, so I gave it a go and RobertRatPrints was born!

I hear that music is "required throughout your creative process" What's currently on your working playlist?

Boy, that's a tough one since I'm constantly in the mood for a wide range of music, but currently, I would include anything by: Foster the People, Death Cab for Cutie, Blanche, The White Stripes, O Brother, Where Art Thou Soundtrack, MGMT, Metric, The Smiths, The Beatles, AND lots of 80's retro!

If you could peak into the life of any artist / designer / craftsperson who would it be?

Toss up between Frank Lloyd Wright and Andy Warhol.

What is your most prized piece of art/handmade good?

Still haven't found it yet.

Where is your favourite creative hang out spot in Toronto?

Any small club/bar/venue/hole one the wall.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Hmmm, my inspiration comes from many sources: all the neat little pocket neighbourhoods around Toronto, music (of course), life experiences, anything and everything vintage/nostalgic, art and design eras, architecture and the natural world.

What does handmade mean to you?

Something that you make with your own hands.

You can check out more of Rob's artwork in his Etsy shop RobertRatPrints. Rob was interviewed in March, 2012, by Michelle of thunderpeep.

T.E.S.T. interview: genevievejodouin

We hope to introduce you to all the great etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the fifth in our series, an interview with Geneviève Jodouin.

Tell us about your shop.

I started my etsy shop as a means to sell my smaller, more retail-based items on the internet. You'll find greeting cards, stationary, wooden screenprinted brooches, and screenprints among the things I sell in my shop. I'm a printmaker and have a website for my art but the cards and other items I make for fun didn't quite seem to fit in there. So etsy was the perfect solution.

How is your Etsy experience so far? What have you learned about yourself? How does your store fit into your life?

So far, my etsy experience has been positive. A lot of it has consisted of exploring the site and finding way too many other cute shops to even count. It's nice to see what other people are making and selling and that's definitely a source of inspiration.

In terms of sales it's been slow but I'm not too worried. I sell my cards and pins at various stores around the country including C1 Art space and Kid Icarus in Toronto and Victoire in Ottawa. It just made sense to open up an etsy store and try to sell my stuff here as well. I'm adding new items regularly and hope that people will see them and need to have them!


You have mentioned your favorite medium is a screen-printing. Tell us about your creative process?

I find it pretty easy to think up designs for cards or brooches. I just think of something cute and fun and I draw it up. I'm pretty obsessed with floral patterns and have quite a collection of wallpaper and textile pattern books from which I draw inspiration.

In the case of this card, I was inspired by the Aberfeldy song, Love is an Arrow (watch it here).

I'm much more systematic when it comes to my screenprints as you can see in this interview on the Toronto Craft Alert site.


How would you define your style?

I'd say my style is romantic, feminine and fun. I love floral patterns and anything vintage. I try to keep it simple and sweet.

Love your kissing sequential! How were they born?

Those 1" pins are the bi-product of an installation piece I made entitled If These Walls Could Talk which was first exhibited at The Fleck Dance Theatre at Harbourfront in Toronto and then at LE in 2008.



What do you do as your "day job"?

I teach screen printing classes at Open Studio and C1 Art Space and I've done some freelance translation work lately. My schedule is pretty open which allows me to work on my art and other little craft projects.

How do you promote yourself?

I find that being active in the art community definitely acts as a promoting tool. The more shows I do, the more people will remember my name and my prints. I send out promotional emails whenever an event or show is coming up, I have a facebook page for my etsy store and I have my personal website as well.


What are your upcoming plans and goals?


This Saturday, March 20, 2010 I have a piece (called Together, 22"x30", 2009) in the Timeraiser Auction at the Fermenting Cellar in the distillery district. It’s a great event where art is auctioned off for volunteer hours, rather than money.

I’m also starting to plan for my next solo exhibition at LE which will be in October 2010, in conjunction with Printopolis which is the international print symposium presented by Open Studio.

My goals are to keep producing new card and brooch designs for my etsy shop and for the other retail stores that carry them. I just ordered more wooden shapes to make new brooches, including more birds so I'll be drawing up new colourful patterns for spring and summer. I'll also be spending lots of time in the studio before the fall, printing up a patterned storm!


Any advice for new sellers on Etsy?
Be patient. Sales will come but it might take a while before you start getting regular sales. Unless you've got lots of web presence already, it's hard for people to actually find your shop since etsy is so vast. So promote yourself as much as you can on blogs and other websites and that should help draw traffic to your etsy shop. Don't forget that good pictures make all the difference, so take the time to photograph your items well and that will definitely draw people in! Good luck!

Check out Geneviève's website and her etsy shop. Don't forget the 7th Toronto timeraiser event this Saturday if you're in Toronto - combine your community service and art hoarding tendancies in one evening!

Interviewed by ezhilin, the week of March 15, 2010.