Q&A with Casey from OSO Handmade

    Casey Maute is the artist behind the unique designs of OSO Handmade, based in Stillwater, OK. She has been creating and selling jewelry since 2008, and she loves using bright colors and geometric shapes in her creations.

    Casey lives in Stillwater with her husband, Ross, who creates prints and T-shirts under the company name Pop Prints, and her cat named Cupcake.

    She works in communications for Oklahoma State University, where she does a lot of writing and designing for OSU. And Casey loves food trucks, all things Disney, social media and bears!

Do you come from a craft-making family? 

Growing up, I was always really creative and loved doing all kinds of arts and crafts, but I didn't remember my mom being that way. My sister definitely wasn't! Now that I'm grown, when I visit my mom, she always shows me the projects she is working on. She's big into mixed media art pieces, so I knew my crafty sense came from somewhere!

Describe your workspace/studio and describe your work habits? 

I am thankful to have a house where I have a room dedicated just for crafts! It can kind of be a mess at times because there are usually five projects going on at one time, but I love having the extra space. I usually have a table set up for trying new craft show displays and I always have the TV on. 

I work full time, so I usually craft a couple nights a week. When I have shows coming up, I will make sure to get in at least 2-3 productive hours of work in a night. I usually have to close the door whenever I am stringing necklaces, though, because my cat hears them from a mile away and thinks it's play time. She loves swatting at them while they are dangling from my fingers.

If you could pick up a new craft tomorrow which one would it be?

I love stuffed animals and plushies, so if I could sew better - that is what I'd make! It'd be so fun to create my own characters.

Do you participate in craft fairs or bazaars? 

Yes, it's my favorite thing! Some shows that I have done and hope to continue doing for years to come are Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar in OKC, The Alliday Show in Tulsa and Dustbowl Arts Market in Norman. I've met so many amazing artists through these and never leave without spending a good chunk of my profit at other booths.

Who is your favorite fashion designer? And why?
To be honest, I admire and love what fashion designers do, but I don't really have a favorite. I could never do what they do, so I just sit back and enjoy what they put out. I'm a T-shirt kind of girl when I'm not at work. I will say, my closet is full of amazing indie shirt designers like Bombs Away, Seibei, Dowdy Studio, RainbowSwirlz and I have to say. . . Pop Prints! I like knowing that the shirt I am wearing is supporting an independent artist. Plus, the stuff they put out is really awesome.

Come and see OSO Handmade jewelry and other artisans at Owl & Drum, now open in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 2810 E. 15th St. For more details, visit www.owlanddrum.com or call Bianca at 918-742-1404

Q&A with Jackie from Amity Treasures

    Jackie Porter has been making jewelry under the name Amity Treasures since 2005. She attended the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, where she majored in art history. 

    Porter recently started teaching art at an Oklahoma City metro area public school. "I'm super stoked" to be teaching, she said. "I really love how every aspect of history can can relate with art, artists or artistic movements. My favorite period is prehistoric art. I love the uncertainty, the unknown, and the hypotheses formed around art of that time. 

    "I like fossils and dinosaurs, too. When I have free time, I really like to spend time with my wonderful boyfriend, ride bikes, discover new eateries, go on road trips, and play with my lomography cameras."  

When were you first inspired to create/develop Amity Treasures?

In early high school, I began making jewelry with seed beads and stretchy string. It was a hobby that i just picked up. I had a lot of fun. One day I realized I could incorporate old or vintage pieces into these pieces to make them super cool. Ever since then, I have been selling in stores in the USA and Australia. I've participated in shows in Oklahoma and California, and have had pieces worn by celebrities - thanks to social networks.
Oh, and the name Amity Treasures has a hidden meaning: "Amity" means friendship, according to the dictionary, and it is also the name of the town in the movie "Jaws". I chose "Treasures" because, well, I use only the finest baubles and treasures in my pieces.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

Anything old! Anything owned by grandmothers and, especially, anything super kitschy and quirky - the crazier the better. Sometimes my customers aren't always on the same page as me, so I often have to tame it down. But it's all so much fun to make.

What is your favorite craft besides jewelry-making?
I really don't think I have a favorite other craft, which I'm kind of ashamed to say. Jewelry may be my only niche, but I enjoy supporting local crafters by shopping at their booths at local events and in local boutiques.

Recommend one craft tool that you cannot live without

Pliers - any type/kind. I've used anything from fishing pliers to heavy-duty wire pliers, and they all get the job done. I actually didn't own my first pair of "jewelry" pliers until last Christmas.

What do you like best about living in Oklahoma?

Route 66! It is so close to where I live, and there are so many spectacular sights to see on the "Mother Road." I may just be a sucker for cobblestone, peeling paint, and over-proportioned whales, but the nostalgia and the history are so intriguing to me.

Come and see Amity Treasures' jewelry and other artisans at Owl & Drum, now open in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 2810 E. 15th St. For more details, visit www.owlanddrum.com or call 918-742-1404.