Monday Must-Have - Crafttastrophe

Today marks a new installment of my Monday blog series titled Monday Must-Have. Each Monday I will feature a fellow talented Etsian and his or her phenomenal work. Each featured artist will have his or her own online Etsy shop where you can peruse and admire his or her one-of-a-kind body of work. Hopefully you will find new favorite artists and artisans whose work you MUST HAVE. :)

Today's featured artist is Crafttastrophe.

Who are you (actual name/and or shop name)?

My name is Rachel and I am the one-woman show of Crafttastrophe.etsy.com

What do you create?

I create unique hand painted shoes and accessories. All of my pieces are done 100% freehand, so they all have their own charming quirks. I love the idea of spreading one-of-a-kind original pieces of wearable art.

Where are you located?

I live in Northeast Ohio.

When did you start creating?

I started creating shortly after my birth. Ever since I was young I have been interested in art. My parents used to take my brother and I on extensive cross-country road trips when we were young, and they would get so upset with us because we were too busy drawing comics in the backseat to bother looking at any of the amazing sights.

Why did you choose your shop name?

Working out of our one-bedroom apartment, I've found space can be somewhat limited. At one point, I had gotten to the point where nearly every available inch of floorspace was being taken over by my art supplies. While I was describing the mess to a friend of mine, I mentioned that it had gotten so bad it was a "crafttastrophe". The name has stuck since then.

What inspires you?

Anything that catches my eye. Even everyday things that you might walk past 10 times a day but never really take note of; bright construction signs, junk food labels, a washed down wall of graffiti.

What is the most time consuming part of your craft?

The intricate details of my freehand work. Sometimes I get so caught up in adding more and more to the design that I completely lose track of time.

What is your favorite place to visit in your hometown and why?

Our apartment is attached to a beautiful park. When it's warm out, my husband and I love to go on walks down by the creek. It's wonderfully relaxing, and helps clear the mind and get new inspiration.

What is your most popular item that you create (and why do you think it is so popular)?

Recently I've been getting a number of custom requests for unique wedding shoes. I love being able to help fellow quirky brides! It's wonderful getting the chance to be a part of someone's big day!

What's your next project going to be?

I'm currently working on some freehand hand painted clothing. My main focus is on quirky party dresses and formal wear. I'm very excited about it!

What do you do when you are not creating?

I'm a full-time student, so when I'm not creating I'm usually either in class or making huge stacks of note cards to study from. When I have free time for myself, I love spending time with my husband and our three woozle (ferret) children.


Be sure to check out Rachel's Etsy shop to peruse her fantastic work. If you're interested in being featured in future Monday Must-Have segments, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or email me. Have a wonderful day!