To Dwell In Primitive Thymes

Ivonne Brown

~ The Crackling Crows ~

We asked Ivonne:

Where do you live?

My husband Kevin and I are living in a 2 story house in a little Farm town in Georgia with our 2 cats...1 hour away from the beautiful Savannah, GA...wonderful old city with tons of Ghost stories! Our area is also known for the *Vidalia* sweet onions!

Ivonne's husband Kevin

Can you tell us a little about your family?

I was born and raised in Germany, I have 1 Sister, married and has 1 daughter. My Mom and Sister are living in Germany about 21/2 hours from Munich...we lost our Dad to cancer in 2007...we miss him terribly. My husband of 11years Kevin has spent the last 12 years in the Army and his family is from Indianapolis, IN, we have 8 years left before we retire...

Do you work outside the home?

No I don't, I'm a full time Artist and I'm fortunate to be able to stay at home to pursue my passion to be creative. I used to be a Dental Assistant and worked in that career for 18 years.

Do you have an hobbies/what do you like to do when you're not creating?

I like to spend as much time as I can with Kevin...my soul mate and best friend :) doing out doors things like hiking and biking and we both love Antique shopping. I also found a new hobby, cross stitching old samplers, it is so relaxing...and looks awesome decorated.

One of Ivonne's Banners

What are some of your favorite things?

Shopping for antiques. Spending hours in Craft stores. Talking on the phone with my friends whom I met being stationed in different States. Photography which one day I would like to do professional...but I have long ways to go.


Do you collect anything in particular?

I like to collect old looking wooden signs, primitive Halloween decorations, old style furniture's.

How did you get your start in your creative business? When?

I always was creative, when I was little, my Mom gave me some play-do and I was happy for hours creating things. Over the years I tried all kind of different things, I started to work with *Fimo* clay and made jewelry and little door signs this was the first time I was selling my crafts. I also enjoyed tole painting on wood pieces I cut myself.
Around 2003 I came across an old style doll a saw in an antique shop, I was so inspired that I wanted to learn how to make a doll...I started ou to sew dolls from patterns which was a lot of fun and over the times I came up with my own original designs.

Pottery outside of a little shop in Rothenburg, Germany that sells pottery and gifts.

Tell us how you got your business name?
My husband came up with it, I wanted a business name with the word *Crows* in it...my English wasn't that good at the time so I didn't realize it was supposed to say *TheCacklingCrows* but is was to late already...my name was out there and I love my name now...it is unique...I think!

Is it in the genes......does anyone in your family, now or generations before create?

Both of my Parents did always something creative. My Mom used to to sew and stitch all the time...she made the half stitch sampler...very beautiful and my Dad used his hand saw and cut wood silhouettes pictures...I always adored them and he was very creative in his garden...the garden was is art project.
My Grandma was a very gifted seamstress...I loved to watch her when she was sewing clothes and she showed me the basics.

How do you keep ideas coming?
They just keep coming...I need to start to write them down! I love to look through old magazines to get some great ideas.

Who/what inspires you?

Hard to say...I have good ideas coming to me when we are walking in the nature (not always possible with the heat in GA)...different Artisans inspire me...primitive magazines...ideas are always around us we just have to notice them.

Do you have a studio or do you work in different parts of your home?

I use my big bonus room over the 2 car garage as my studio but occasionally I spill over into the dining room and kitchen oh and in the evening I stitch in the living room with my cat on my lap :)

How do you organize your supplies

In my studio I have a big closet where I keep my bins and baskets. I try to stay organized which is sometimes not an easy task. Regardless where I put my colored tinsel pom poms my cat Spooky will find them (see through bin) and play with them...by the end of the day I have tons of pom poms laying around. I should video tape it and put it on You Tube...it is so funny how he opens the drawer with his paws and steals the pom poms and he is sooo excited.

Do you like to listen to music while you work, if so what ?

Yes, I do...I love to listen to hip hop...isn't that funny? But most of the time the TV is running in the background and I don't even listen to it...

Do you have a favorite piece of art that you've created?

Yes, it is a doll called *Sophie* she is MY most favorite doll, she is a primitive Halloween doll with a lot of details...this was my last doll I made and I want to make her again when I pick up my needle and thread again. I also love the painted Banners I'm making...can't wait for Halloween!!!

Sophie

What have you learned about marketing ?
Be active in the market and keep your name out there and to keep the customers excited with new creations.


What keeps you motivated ?
My customers, their enthusiasm motivates me to keep creating and I'm always motivated. Creativity comes to me naturally!

Do you sell you work in any shops, or will you be in any upcoming shows?

I used to sell my Dolls in a very nice shop in Williamsburg, VA...but we had to move away (Army). I started to sell on Ebay and of course on TDIPT.
No, I don't participate in Shows, too much preparation and it distracts from my on-line business...but I love to go to Shows!

Has your work been published in any magazines? Have you received any type of awards/recognition for your work?
No, not yet maybe one day...but my customers are giving me great reviews and that counts a lot to me to know that my customers are happy when they receive my work.

Do you have any tips you would like to share?
Always stay true to yourself and keep focused on your creative inner-self!

Tell us something about yourself that may surprise us?
Well, lets see I'm very adventurous as an example I flew on a small airplane, going on very long hikes and my next goal is to skydive and learn how to play golf. I'm also a HUGE fan of Michael Jacksonm, I love his music...I was at his concert in Germany in 1993.

Group of musician's wearing their traditional garments in *Kloster Andechs* where they are brewing beer...famous for the dark beer!

Thank you for reading my story, I hope you enjoyed it :)

Thanks so very much Ivonne! It's been a delight to read all about you!