Friday, April 2, 2010

Member Interview

Who are you?  Laura of Creatively Tangled


Please tell us a bit about yourself. 

Hi, I'm Laura Slocum and I live in NE PA.  My shops are creativelytangled, CreativelyTangled2, and lauraslocumpainted.  My sister, jennreese7, opened my stores for me, came up with the creativelytangled name,  designs my tags and banners, and sometimes takes my pictures.  Any pictures that are excellent - she most likely took them.  She's sort of my brains......  She also developed my blog, staytuned09.blogspot.com.
 
How did you learn about Etsy Project Embrace?

Well, EPE, started because of me!  I went in for surgery last May, it was sudden, and I was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer.  My sister Jenn and my niece Kelly, of sweetnessjewelry, immediately reached out to our Etsy friends and there were a ton of treasuries for at least 2 weeks by various people wishing me well.  

When I got home, I mostly recovered on the couch and slept there at night, since my sleeping was all out of whack.  One middle of the night I was up and turned on my computer and was commenting on treasuries.  Kim, of slinkymalinkicat, who lives halfway across the world, saw my comment and that I had mentioned that i couldn't sleep.  We really didn't know each other, maybe from a treasury or two, but I'm thinking that she may have seen treasuries that talked about my surgery.  She convoed me to say that I could talk to her anytime in the middle of the night, since she was up!  Our friendship grew from there, and she was a source of support right from my first week home.  We chit chatted about our stores, families and lives.  

At some point, she asked me to write something about my experience with recovering and the support of my Etsy friends.  I  wrote her on the night before my first chemo in the beginning of July.  From that article, she got in touch with Amy from thepeachtree, and they started an informal Etsy Project Embrace, that would raise money for cancer research. 
By the time I recovered from my treatment, my article was in about 10 different blogs -- I couldn't even keep track.  It was pretty amazing, that Kim would start this for somebody she didn't even know.  She raises two beautiful young daughters, and despite that, she found time in her day to start this movement. She's an incredibly sweet person.  From there, Kristin from loveartworks got involved with a thread on the Etsy forum, and Ginny, from ginnyhuber, started listing all the EPE treasuries..... and all these great people joined and the treasuries continued.......that was the beginning of EtsyProjectEmbrace ... as I remember it!
 
What is your favorite item in your shop at the moment?
My poppy red from lauraslocumpainted and the candy shoppe wire wrapped pendants from my creativelytangled store.

What is your favorite handmade possession? 

My mom and I went shopping and picked out fabrics for a quilt that she started making for me before she passed away in 2004.  I painted my bedroom and furniture to match, and when she was having trouble with her eyesight, I went over and finished it at her house.  I just love that quilt and I keep a little sheet of paper with her handwriting in my wallet, that says "navy crochet thread."  It was the last step in my quilt to pull the thread thru on each square.

What do you collect?
I have to say art and craft supplies.........whatever I'm into at the moment, I have to have every tool there ever was.....plus, I have about 3 million beads and probably 600 colors of paint...........!



Where would you like to be and what do you hope to be doing ten years from now? 
 
Family time is my favorite.  My plan is to be here for my family..... maybe some weddings.... maybe some grandchildren!  I  also would like to be heading south in the winter -- my biggest dream -- I'm just not a winter person what so ever!

19 comments:

  1. How wonderful to get to know Laura even better! What an inspiration and I love the quilt and the idea of keeping that "blue thread" paper from your mom. I had my dads handwriting in my wallet too ! It was a short note but hightlighed His signature... we always tried to make ours like his! What a wonderful insite to an inspired life! thanks
    martha opendoorstudio.etsy.com

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  2. What a great chance to get to know Laura even better... and to learn from her first-hand perpective of how EPE began. It never ceases to amaze me, the way the members of this team reach across miles and miles of the ethernet and support one another. That very fact gives me a sense of hope for this world! Love your quilt, Laura, and the story behind it. Love your work too!

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  3. Oh Laura, this was such a sweet surpise to find your interview here today, and I am overwhelmed with the emotions it brings. What a beautiful friend you are, you just shine.

    Lots of love and hugs to you dear Laura,
    XOXO
    Kim

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  4. I also want to say a HUGE thank you to all my friends involved.... i have many of you that have been through similar experiences and that i am able to call on and ask questions to... (Peggy, Ginny, Meiko, Amy S. etc.) You are all so very helpful and i really appreciate all the support you've shown me!
    Thanks Mollie Ann! XXXOOOOOO laura

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  5. Dear Laura: What a wonderful interview you and Mollie have put together; so filled with your inspiring spirit, appreciations and creations; as Kim says, you just shine and it is a joy to know you. xoxo

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  6. What a wonderful interview Laura! Being new to the team, it's nice to read bits about it's background.
    xo
    Katie

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  7. It's always a joy to get to know fellow team members in this interview. Thanks for sharing, Laura! :) Your paintings are incredible!

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  8. Laura....you are a complete and utter Blast of Positive Light Rays in this Universe, and any other for that matter! It is an honor and an absolute Joy to know you and be present with you through all of your treatments, the pronouncements of "Cancer Free!" and now your follow up maintenance chemo. Kudos to you and ALL the cancer survivors out there...you are huge inspirations...Thank You!
    xoxo
    Kristin

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  9. It is lovely to know how EPE started. Thanks for sharing, the quilt is wonderful :) May your dream come true Laura..."heading south in winter" xoxoGwen

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  10. hey--great interview with you eagle eye-- love seeing your mom's quilt-- what a beautiful memento with her hands having made that for you-- and as for jenn-- isn't it time we wished her a happy birthday??? isn't it soon? or have i missed the boat?

    and mollie-- thanks for bringing us our favorite feisty lady to read about on the blog. happy easter everyone!

    XOXO

    kathi

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  11. Oh Laura, I loved this interview! How talented you are in addition to being an all around lovely human being. It's also a treat to get the chance to know you even better. And in case you weren't aware: you are a great inspiration to me, as well as to countless others!
    xoxo to you and to each member of EPE
    Peggy

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  12. THIS is the interview we've all been waiting for...Hurrah!

    To have single-handedly inspired such a tremendous number of people to work collectively in support of a cure is no small feat. You ARE an inspiration, Laura, and your painting is phenomenal.

    Thank you, Mollie for letting us peek over Laura's shoulder like this!

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  13. I love you Laura!
    What a wonderful interview and opportunity for us all to thank you for the inspiration and special insight you have given each of us. You have taught me so much about the power of positive thinking, laughter and community. Thank you for always being so fearless and generous with your spirit!
    Thank you for EPE!

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  14. Thank you Mollie for getting this wonderful interview; & thank you Laura for continuing to inspire us all - you are amazing ;-) Xxxxx

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  15. Great interview congrats :) Laura, you are awesome!

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  16. Laura, do you want a little of my handwriting for your wallet? just wondering.
    Wonderful interview, for sure.
    Thanks so much Mollie and thanks Laura for your cooperation.
    (whatever that means.)

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  17. Great interview Laura! Wow, your art work is gorgeous and your Mother's quilt is so special, thanks so much for sharing that heartfelt story. I'm so glad to know that you are doing well, you are simply amazing my friend. If you're ever down, remember, you are loved and appreciated by many, including me....Shine on dear one!

    love,
    Cyd

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  18. Amazing that out of this struggle came this wonderful group to support a worthy cause, and support one another. I'm honored to be a part of it. Laura, you inspire us all.

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