Craft:

Craft-Tea Tea Cozy
http://www.etsy.com/view_item.php?listing_id=401177

I'm a sucker for puns, so DoBeClean's clever tea cozy caught my eye. It puts the "tea" in Crafty:-) I also love the bright colors and softness of the cozy; that's one that would be a pleasure to have around. When she's not knitting or entering contests, she makes hemp soap (including some great felted covered soap, which works like a washcloth and bar of soap all in one) and plays with words. Check out her shop on Etsy, and her blog.

Arwen: How did you get involved in crafting? Why?

DoBeClean: I think it partially transpired from growing up with a mother constantly sewing overhead of us during the day while we played and knitting beside us while we watched tv at night. It was either her doing her nails or knitting. Since I could never get into the fancy finger nail scene I guess I feel connected with my mum while working with fibre.

Another turning point was while visiting with an accupuncturer on a weekly basis to help me cope with a fall-out with my father. He suggested getting crafty to clear out some throat chakra issues. There he created a monster.

Arwen: So what inspires you these days?

DBC: Primarly, the people around me. So much talent is revealed when you bring up in conversation that you love to knit or want to learn a craft. I don't know if I'm just very blessed, but there's lots of inspiring people around. Secondarily, I'm so inspired by the blogs I read everyday. There lies my guilty pleasure (the guilt bit comes from my husband. And some pleasure, come to think of it).

Arwen: And what are your favorite craft blogs (or books or magazines)?

DBC: The websites I love include etsy, crafster.org, knitty.com, and whipup.net. Books I'm currently loving are knitting books (that time of year) like Mason-Dixon Knitting, the Stitch 'N' Bitch series, Rowan magazines. Other crafty books I want to get my itchy fingers on are Denyse Schmidt Quilts(because I want to learn), Amy Butler's In Stitches and perhaps 52 Projects: Random Acts of Everyday Creativity by Jeffrey Yamaguchi to assist me in exporing yet unexplored crafty nooks of my soul. And, of course, can't wait to check out Craft: magazine!

Arwen: What's your next project?

DBC: My next project is the long-awaited sweater my husband has been so patiently waiting on. I knitted up a sweater for him last year but it turned out too small. So I've been sporting it all last year resulting in a kind of sore spot between us. So I keep meaning to start him a sweater but things come up (don't have the right needle size, a Craft contest is announced). But the needles should be in the mail now, so no more excuses. Plus I'm starting to really feel for the guy. He looks chilly.

Arwen: That's such a great story! A woman I know had a knitting teacher who told her never to knit a sweater for a boyfriend because if they broke up, she'd want it back. So she proposed to her boyfriend by knitting him a sweater and having the label read "Will you marry me?"

Is there anything else you want to tell our readers? Can you give one simple tip you use in your crafting?

DBC: Because I'm a mom to a two year old people often wonder how I can run a "crafty" business, post on my blog, read blogs and still find time to be crafty. I tell them (especially new moms) that even if you can find ten minutes here and there it all adds up quickly. Before you know it, you too can have a Craft-Tea Tea Cozy in your busy life!