T-N-T spells awesome deals

Take a percentage off from participating shops during today's TNT sale,
noon to midnight!

See the comments below for specific deals from participating shops!

Ask Raven Anything!

We've introduced a new feature here at DIYScene. As you may have noticed, we are a very eclectic group of crafters and occasionally do things a little out of the ordinary. So this 'feature' is a line of questions and answers that can be anything from blunt, to funny to completely off the wall. It could prove to be pretty entertaining.

One of our newer forum Members Raven of http://www.ravenofskys.etsy.com was extremely brave and offered her soul to the volcano, ugh I mean agreed to answer our questions ;)

1. What got you into skulls/bones? (from Pet_Zombie).
I was raised in rural Pennsylvania surrounded by nature. My family was/is very earthy and we would go hiking and camping often. My parents would find bones along the way and they would teach me about the animals by picking up the bones and pointing out features. I then started bringing the bones, skulls, and feathers home. By my teens I was incorporating them into my art and making jewelry wit them as well.

2. What is your favorite horror movie? (from CanDyRavE)

It would be a tie between Hellraiser and Nightbreed.

3. I have a lil question about your creative process... do you usually create pieces around a particular piece of bone? (as in you find a bird skull and create a piece around it) or do you create a piece and then find whatever bones would fit it better? (from Psycho Kitty)

A little of both. Often I find a bone and it inspires me to create a certain piece ( like the bone flowers) and other times I have to find the right bone for an idea that I have. Sometimes I just dump a box of bones onto the floor and just stare at them waiting for the creative process to kick in.

4.You have been a part of a movie and TV show lately...is this a direction you want to take your career (acting, directing, writing, etc) or is it just something that fell into your lap so you went with it? (From Invy Studios)

This is just something I have fallen into from time to time over the years. To be honest I had a lot of these opportunities when I was in my early 20's but I turned them down because I was just too insecure then. I have no real desire to be an actress or pursue it aggressively however I have decided to take every opportunity that comes my way so there will be no regrets later in life.

5. Arrrrg if you were a pirate, what would your pirate name be? (From Headless Tess)

Russilia...I have a thing for Vikings

6.You're stranded on a dessert island...what kind of dessert would it have to be to keep you sane? (from NightsRequiem)

It would have to be chocolate....I like 99.9% of anything chocolate out there.

7.What is the square root of 69...? *snicker* (From Angrylittledeadgirl)

You are a dirty girl!! Haha....hmmm Ate something?

8. Bill or Eric? (from MTcoffinz, me)

Eric Eric Eric. I have read the books and for me it is all about Eric. He is great in the books.

9. If you were President of the United States, what would be your first act of office? (fromTapebubba)

Create severe penalties and fines for all the top earning US companies who have more than 50% of their employees receiving government Medical assistance and food stamps. Example: The Walton family, owners of Walmart, are in the top richest people on earth with top profits from Walmart. There is NO excuse for these rich companies to pay their employees low wages and not offer affordable health insurance.

10. If you could invite three people, living or dead, to lunch, whom would you invite and why? (fromWinterlights)

a. Dali: because I know he would be fun and he is my favorite artist
b. Peter Steele: because no matter how many times I interviewed him I still want to interview him more.
c. Jim Morrision: because I was always fascinated by his life and lyrics

11. What would be your name if you were a Pornstar (from Vicmes)

Mae-B West

12. What century do you think your true inner soul comes from or best belongs in?(from Tapebubba)

Sometimes I think my soul belongs in the Victorian Era but other times I feel like I could have been an eastern european gypsy from centuries ago...

13. In an homage to Mr. James Lipton....What's your favorite curse word? (from Winterlights)

I love them all..haha

14. Who was your first celebrity crush?(fromSmarmyclothes)

Axl Rose followed by Edward Scissor Hands.


15.What is the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning?(from Indiscretion)

Coffee. Now.

16. What would you do if knew tomorrow would be your last day on earth? (from Jenellsrevenge)

I would try to spend time with family and my BF but would not tell anyone that it was my last. One day's notice is not long enough to do anything grand....

17. If you could have anyone in the world wear your stuff -- living or dead -- who would it be? (from Deabusamor)

Siouxsie Sioux and Janis Joplin

18. Who are you friends with, that you never expected to be friends with? (from Photographier)

I would have to say my current boyfriend. He is not the type of guy I ever thought I would date let alone be friends with. We are complete opposites but it turns out that opposites make wonderful friends and lovers.

19. What's the one thing you can't live without? (from Kezbirdie)

Music. I think I would rather be blind than deaf, that says a lot coming from a visual artist but my passion for music is deep.

20. How do you feel about the way sex is portrayed on television? Like, during daytime hours, and not on porn channels? (from SohoKitten)

I like all these wild and crazy shows that are on regular tv now however if I had kids I would not want them to get confused at a young age either. Sex is good and sex is natural but kids should also be able to be kids......

21. What is your real name? Does everyone call you Raven because you work with bird skulls? (from BlackKittenAccessories)

Hint: I share the same real name as Stevie Nicks . Raven was a name given to me after a ritual on an indian reservation many years ago. It was given to me by a Shaman so I embraced it in full. I felt it suited me better. The only people who call me my born name are coworkers and my family. I do sign my art with my born name though....how confusing!

22. What was your first time like? Yes, that first time. (from Platipuses)

This may seem weird but I wanted to wait til I was 18 and I did. It was very hard to wait that long..like torture. My first was not someone I was in love with or anything like that. I was dating a guy
and he respected me, was hot, and was not pushy about it so he won the prize! Because I waited until I was 18 I really enjoyed it and there was no pain, only fun.


23.What is your alcoholic drink of choice? (from DismantledFashions)


I really do enjoy good beer and good wine. I am not into mixed drinks but enjoy some Absinthe from time to time.


And the following are all from WickedBadNaughty

24.What was a most embarrassing moment for you?


Falling down stairs at the goth club...haha. Made my pale turn red quick!

25. What's one of the craziest things you've ever done?

hitchhiking, quarry jumping, and swimming out to pet what everyone thought was a shark...........oh yea and picking up wild poisonous snakes

26. Cereal killer...are you one and if so, what is your top 3 most favorite cereals.

I really hate cereal. I read a lot of serial killer books though. It scares the hell out of me and I have nightmares often but cannot stop reading them....

27.Thongs, boy shorts, bikini's or granny panties *or commando (TY Bubba )*?

If I am wearing a short skirt at the club I may rock boy shorts, The rest of the time is 50% commando and 50% thong


28. What's your most favorite song right now?

Interpol: the lighthouse ....it is just haunting.


29. Were you a tomboy as a kid or a girly girl?

I was a TOTAL tomboy as a kid. I loved nature, getting dirty, and catching wild things like snakes, bugs, toads.



30. Italian or Mexican food...which do you prefer and which is your favorite dish?

I love both but Italian would win. I enjoy any type of handmade pasta tossed with fresh seafood.

31. Favorite soda?

Diet pepsi, but only from the fountain.

32. Favorite Ice cream?

Chocolate chip mint or coffee

33. Favorite item of clothing?

A tie between my stompy boots and custom corsets


34. Most guilty pleasure?

Gossip magazines and tabloids. Life is dark and this is how I lighten it up!

35. How long is your 'needs to die' list? If longer than 10, who is #9?

Pat Robertson is #1-#9 because I wish him dead over and over and over.....

Featured Shop: aNGrYGiRL Gear

by: WinterLights

From unrelentingly sexy corsets to stylishly deranged straight jacket shrugs to playful panda, vermin, and kitty hoodies, Cindy of aNGrYGiRL Gear offers an enticing array of clothing for chicks with a downright aggressive taste in fashion. Whether you’re feeling industriously badass, darkly romantic, or like an outright mix, Cindy has something to suit your every whim. Incorporating sinful amounts of metal hardware, seductive corset lacing, strategically placed mesh inserts, and bondage straps, her designs are not for timid fashionistas.



Cindy combines her impeccable technical expertise with her potent stylistic vision which is axiomatic in each and every piece she creates. The best part? Every piece is made to the customer’s measurements so they’re designed to fit and flatter every curve no matter what size or shape you are!


Thrilled with the opportunity, I asked Cindy a few fun questions to further unveil the girl behind the sewing machine.

Why are you so angry, anyway?
What's not to be angry about? Just look around! All kidding aside, I'm not really that angry, most of the time. I just have a bit of a hair-trigger temper and a big mouth that gets me in trouble a little too often. For the most part, I'm harmless.



What most inspires you to create?
I usually do my best work when I'm angry, hahah. Most of my designs are created on-the-fly, as I'm not very good at sketching. So really, my mood at the moment is my biggest inspiration.

Which one aNGrYGiRL Gear piece would you need to wear if you were trapped on a deserted island?
Clothes would be the last thing on my mind if I were trapped on a deserted island. NAKED BEACH PARTY!!!! Woooo hoooo....

If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
No one would ever know what I did with it, because I'd be gone in a flash. I'd disappear off the face of the Earth faster than Dubya did after he left office. Of course there would be rumors - people would report sightings of a drunk, naked, braided girl partying it up with her harem on the beaches of the world - but no one would ever be able to confirm that it was me, because I'd have already moved on to the next location. Kind of like David Banner used to do, except that I won't turn green, gain 200 pounds, rip out of my clothes, and trash the place before I left. Ok, maybe I'd trash the place...



What future plans do you have in store for your line?
I'm looking at a whole new business model. I've been doing the custom sized work for a few years now, and I do like that model, but there is little to no room for creativity. I just make the same 20 items over and over again. I intend to keep with the custom sized work, but I'm also going to start offering OOAK pieces - and not just the *standard* pieces you're used to seeing from AGG. I'm going to be branching out into new areas and taking some big design risks. Part of the new business model is remaking myself. I don't want to send OOAK pieces out to be modeled and photographed, I want to be able to do it myself, so I am working on losing that stubborn 30 pounds, so that I can be my own model and bring MY style to... well, my style...

As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster

The Guys and Dolls of the DiYScene Etsy Street Team made mincemeat of last month's Theme Challenge. Here's a look at the Mafia theme:

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade DiysceneStreetTeam.etsy.com

Stay tuned this month, as our Theme Challenge takes a curiouser and curiouser turn...

That's tempting...

Thursday Night Temptations, that is!
Today's TNT offers are for free or reduced shipping:
Check out the comments section for specific offers from participating shops.

Featured Shop: Haute Indiscretion

By aNGrYGiRL Gear

Sexy, Mysterious, Sinful...

That's how textile wunderkind Mara Franklin describes her Etsy shop, Haute Indiscretion, and she couldn't be more spot on. If you're looking for sexy vintage reconstructions, sinful original designs, intricate crocheted scarves or handmade hair pieces, Haute Indiscretion is the shop for you.

With several impressive degrees under her belt - a BFA in Jewelry/Metalsmithing and Art History from the U of I, Champaign, and an MA in Costume Studies/Decorative Arts from NYU - Mara's knowledge of textiles, design, and the clothing industry is formidable. Her style is so unique that it defies standard classification. "I have no idea what to call my style. I used to try to label it, but no label really fits. My friends all call it "Mara style", and have since I was in high school."



"Mara Style," to me, is a blend of diverse fabrics and contrasting textures that seem to defy logic with their harmony. Mara lives in the southwest, an influence that is readily apparent in her choice of colors - turquoise, black, muted plums and pinks, and rich reds frequently find their way onto her palette.



Mara is also the proprietor of Indiscretions, another Etsy shop. "The two stores differ in materials, colors and styles. Indiscretion is much more casual, most items have bright or light colors, and are playful. Haute Indiscretion items are darker, there is a more formal look to the items, you might see more lace, sparkles, etc., and lots of black!"

As strange as it may seem, Mara's prowess with fabric and sewing machine is not what repeatedly draws me to Haute Indiscretion. It's her talent with other textiles - most specifically, yarn. There are no words to adequately describe her crocheted neckwear, or its effects on the viewer. They are a "visual cacophony" of elements, shapes, lengths, texture, and color - when the parts are examined separate of the whole, its impossible to believe that any unity could be achieved. Yet, when examined collectively, the elements take on a simplicity and a harmony that leave you wondering exactly how Mara could have accomplished such a feat.



Mara is a genuinely nice person, and a pleasure to have as a friend. She also has a wacky side that is endearing, if not humorous. I asked her what she would do if I gave her an elephant. She replied, "Paint it turquoise, make it a hat with mirrors, sequins, and a big peacock feather and give it some peanuts." Yep, I can totally see her doing that ;)



Mara's final thoughts on creating for a living? "I think it's important to do something you love, even if it's not your main job. I LOVE creating clothing and accessories. I have discovered that I have to create at least a little bit every day or I don't feel like myself. Even when traveling, I'll bring along a project, no matter how small." I, for one, hope Mara continues creating for many years to come.

Thursday Night Temptations!

Get something FREE with your TNT purchase today!
Check out the comments below for the awesome deals from participating shops!

Featured Shop: DiyScene4Charity

By: Indiscretion

I love that our team, DiyScene, has a collective shop. I was given an opportunity in which to feature the shop in our team blog and am so glad I did! Special thanks to Lynn, Nicole and Kylie for taking the time to answer my questions. Now I can share my findings with you:

What is the purpose of this shop?
The purpose of this shop is to raise funds and awareness for a charity of our choosing. We want to make the world a better place and do our part as artists for the greater good. Diyscene artists donate their items for sale in our Etsy shop, and 100% of the proceeds are donated directly to the designated charity. The artists donate their time and materials, and the customers experience the rewards of knowing that their purchase was part of a larger philanthropic effort.

How does this shop relate to the DiyScene Etsy Street Team?
Diyscene4Charity is a collective of artists that are members of the DiyScene Etsy Street Team. Donors must be active street team members in order to participate in the charity shop. We maintain a team requirement in order to ensure that service delivery is up to our standards: prompt and satisfactory. The shop and its extracurricular functions are also operated and managed by DiyScene Etsy Street Team members. Diyscene4Charity.etsy.com is currently the only collective team-related shop on Etsy. The shop is connected to all things Diyscene. Each item listing also links to the individual team member's shop that donated the item.

How do you decide which charity to benefit and how often?
The administrative team for DiyScene4Charity first reviews and discusses various charities. We then allow the rest of the team vote on their preferred charity. Each charity remains a beneficiary for approximately 3 months before we adopt the next one. If we find a cause with an immediate need, we may select that charity without putting it to a vote.

For example, the devastating earthquake in Haiti occurred right as we were in the process of transitioning between charities. Without haste, we choose to make Doctors Without Borders our next beneficiary because we admire their work and felt that their life-saving work in the Haiti relief effort could benefit from our help.

We only select charities that adhere to Etsy.com's policy on charitable giving.

Do you have a process for choosing items for your shop from amongst the team members?
There is no limit on the type of item that can be donated to the shop. As long as the donor is an active team member in good standing, they are welcome to donate. We do not choose which items are donated. The artists who donate the items choose their donation. Team members fill out a donor application and submit their listing information to our shop admin, who will then list the item in our charity shop.

In order to maintain the collective nature of the shop, each artist can only have a maximum of 3 items simultaneously listed in shop. If one of the items sells or expires, the artist has the choice to donate a different item to reach the 3-item maximum.

How long does the item or items stay in the shop?
Items remain in our charity shop until they are sold, expired, or removed by the donor. Etsy listings are active for 4 months until they expire. Artists whose items have expired are welcome to have it relisted. Once an item is sold, the artist also has the choice to relist it or replace it with a different item. An item is also removed if the donor is no longer a team member.

What do you hope for this shop in the future? (More exposure, more items, etc.)
All of the above! We hope our future brings us more sales, which translate to larger donations. Our goal is to increase our exposure, our internet presence via various social media and promotional outlets, our number of donors and items, and our amount raised per charity. We also strive for strong, dedicated team support and integrated efforts from all DiyScene Etsy Street Team members. Any support from our friends and fans is always appreciated as well!

It's TNT BOGO!!

Buy One Get One during this week's TNT!
Please see the comments for specific offers from participating shops!

Time for TNT!

This week, all participating shops are offering a percentage off discount! Check out the comments below for individual deals!

It's the first TNT sale of the New Year!

That means FREE or Reduced Shipping in all participating shops!

Check out the comments for a list of participating shops!

Hide and Seek winners!

First of all, thank you to all of the participants for making our contest a huge success!
We received tons of submissions and are so happy to announce our prize winners:

*Grand Prize* – Milissa
*Runner Up *– Beatriz
*Runner Up* – Sarah

Thanks again to all who entered!
We can’t wait until our next Team contest, and we hope you'll come back for more!

Last day to enter the Holiday Edition of Hide & Seek!

If you haven't taken your swing at the prize (a gift basket of handmade goodies worth over $300!!), now is the time to do it! Today is the last day to enter our Hide & Seek contest, and with a gift basket that rad, you could take care of all of your Xmas shopping with one fell swoop!

Rules and instructions can be found here.

Congratulations to annaladymoon!

The masses have chosen this beautiful corset as their favorite Cosmic Latte theme item! Congratulations, Anna!

Be sure to check back next month for another batch of amazing theme items from the DiYScene.com Street Team!

Sweet Juliet Waist Cincher by annaladymoon

Runners up: worthysoycandles and HauteIndiscretion

Play the DiYScene Hide & Seek: Holiday Edition!

Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house,
not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse.

The scissors were hung by the sewing machine with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The Scenesters were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of cupcakes danced in their heads.

When out on the tin roof there arose such a clatter,
DIYScene sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window DIYScene flew like flashlightning,
tore open the curtains and threw up the sash.

When what to DIYScene 's wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature man, and eight tiny reindeer,
he whistled and shouted and called them by name.
Now Angry!
Now Poisoned!
Now Spoons and RedThread!
On Fierce, on Smarmy, on Zombie and AnnaLady!

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work,
And filled all the gift baskets, and turned with a jerk.
He sprang to his sleigh. And away they all flew.
But the Scenesters heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
Merry Christmas to DIYScene and to DIYScene Good Night!



How to Play:
This Hide and Seek Holiday Edition is brought to you by the amazing Etsy Street Team, DIYScene. (Search tag DIYScene Team on Etsy for great stuff!)
All of the shops listed below have secretly placed one of these 3 icons in their shop photos. Your job is to find them. Don’t forget to check sold items!

Hide and Seek runs from December 1st and runs through December 10th. Make a list of the item links and email them to: diyscenehns2009@yahoo.com.


Prizes:
ALL correct entries will then be placed into a randomizer to determine 3 winners, so take your time and browse around! Winners will be announced December 14th.

Each participating shop has donated something amazing for the runner up prize baskets and Grand Prize basket. Here's a taste of what you could win:

These are the icons you are searching for. Each shop will have one of the icons in one of their listing photos. Search carefully, some are not so easy to spot!

Shops to search:
Angrygirlgear.etsy.com
Annaladymoon.etsy.com
Blacksunshine.etsy.com
Cdchyld.etsy.com
Eyescream.etsy.com
FabulouslyFiercePets.etsy.com
Hauteindiscretion.etsy.com
HeartSizedCrush.etsy.com
Naediy.etsy.com
Nightsrequiem.etsy.com
Platipuses.etsy.com
PoisonedCreations.etsy.com
Pzcreations22.etsy.com
Radrocket.etsy.com
SelfInflictedDiy.etsy.com
SmarmyClothes.etsy.com
Theclaypony.etsy.com
WickedBadNaughty.Etsy.com
Winterlights.etsy.com
Xannabotx.etsy.com

Cosmic Latte!

Each month the DiYScene Etsy Street Team chooses a theme to collectively make items for. This month's theme was Cosmic Latte!

What the heck is Cosmic Latte? According to Wikipedia,
"Cosmic latte is a name assigned in 2002 to the average color of the universe (derived from a sampling of the electromagnetic radiation from 200,000 galaxies), given by a team of astronomers from Johns Hopkins University."

Check out our team members' entries and then vote for your favorite below!

After you vote, click here to see more Cosmic Latte items from the DiYScene Street Team!

Tattered Tea Time Slip Skirt by WinterLights

Turkey Leg Purse/Clutch with Cranberry Change Purse by worthysoycandles

Woodland Acorns COCOA by Dingogirl66

Sweet Juliet Waist Cincher by annaladymoon

Allegra - Charm Necklace by NightsRequiem

RUFFLES in CREAM HOWL by poppyswickedgarden

HAUTEINDISCRETION Caramel Latte by HauteIndiscretion

Tweed Cosmic Latte Chunky Neck Warmer by xannabotx

Cosmic Latte Cowl by vicmes

Which Cosmic Latte item is your favorite?

It's Thursday!

Amazing Thursday Night Temptation sales from the DiYScene Street Team!



See the comments for offers from participating shops!

Come and get it!

Mega-awesome sales and specials from the DiYScene Street Team! Today only!

Check out the comments for special offers from participating shops!

What's the big deal?

It's TNT, of course! And these deals aren't just big... they're GRRRREAT!
Check out the DiYScene Street Team for deals on handmade goods for all of you early bird Holiday Shoppers!!

Check the comments section for specific offers from participating shops!

Happy Halloween!

Start the holiday weekend a little early by treating yourself to some spooky deals from the DiYScene Street Team!!

Take a peek at the comments for specific offers!