Connie Lou Haskell

It is my pleasure to introduce Connie Haskell, a redemption artist and seller of vintage extraordinaire! Connie was raised in the town of Kaneohe on the Windward side of Oahu. One of her favorite memories is lying on her family's backyard pier in the warm sun, listening to the lapping of the ocean and gazing at the beauty of the Ko'olau mountain range that surrounded her. "Collecting and creating go hand-in-hand for me," Connie says. "As a young girl I would gather shells, driftwood and other ocean treasures and turn them into jewelry, wind chimes..." and other whimsical things.

I met Connie while sharing space at a holiday studio sale, and was drawn to her welcoming, bubbly disposition and her table of many treasures and vintage objects d'art. Connie talks story about falling in love with second-hand stores as a child. She would spend hours sifting through items for fabric, bags and wooden boxes she could "take home and redeem!"

Strolling through Connie's Etsy shop is a joy, as treasures with long forgotton memories wait for their new owners. Prepare to be fascinated by items from near and far...a World War II Vargas girl pinup to a vintage laughing Bhudda necklace of cherry amber!

"My grandmother's house was filled with beautiful vintage items...from China or Hawaii. She loved to tell me stories of how far the item traveled and how it ended-up in Hawaii. This is what I believe really attracted me to discovering and giving vintage items a new home and life!"

Connie also relys on other women in Etsy for inspiration. Their stories often reveal challenges they face or have overcome. As a captain for Team Hilo Etsy, she enjoys the connections and the support that is such an important component of the group. Mahalo to Connie for sharing her story and photos with us!

To see these and other items, visit Connie's Etsy shop at www.redemptionart.etsy.com  and remember "favorite" her shop when you visit!

My name is Carrie Rojo and I am a crafter.  I'm one of those many, many people who has a room filled with the objects to create things!  My head is easily turned when it comes to color and form, so through the years I have participated in many different forms of artwork.  I get really excited when I come across an artist/crafter that does something different and whimsical.  It might be the artwork itself or even the way the artist promotes their work that gets my attention!

I will be doing an interview every week or two with a new Etsy artist/crafter and we will also take a peek into their online shop.  We will talk about their inspirations and discuss what drew them to their current artform or craft.

For the past couple of years I have been handcrafting high quality, all natural glycerin soap that look like gemstones - real OR imagined.  The name of my Etsy shop is Sapphire Soap.  You can take a look at my shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sapphiresoap

 I have always been knocked-out by color and shape, so when a dear friend introduced me to the world of soaping...well, the possibilities are huge!