My name is "Freshie" Beth, and I'm a lifelong crafter.

My favorite book from my childhood is a massive paperback called I Can Make a Rainbow - a book I believe is out of print. I checked it out from my elementary school library as often as possible when I was young. It was SO FULL of craft projects - some super simple and some quite complicated. AND the pages - they were RAINBOW COLORS. Rainbow I tell you!

I bought this most treasured book on ebay for my kids several years ago, waiting with excitement to see their wonder at the 300+ different crafts they could make, only to see they had less than zero interest in it. Crafting... with a book? How old school of me! SIGH.

Now that I'm a capital A Adult and running a business or two, I have precious little time for crafting just for crafting's sake. Enter: CRAFTCATION. Yes. It's literally a craft-centered vacation.

Once a year, a team of self-proclaimed "crafty weirdos" take over a hotel in Ventura Beach, California and turn it into a maker's paradise. For 5 magical days, 600 crafters roam the hotel, choosing between about 200 different classes and endless casual crafting opportunities. Did I mention it's at the beach?

You can take sewing classes, painting classes, wood burning, sticker making or just playing with stickers (yes really), embroidery, watercolor, knitting, crocheting, ice dying, and on and on! You can also take business classes for your crafty business or personal brand. You could even just hang out in the lobby and craft with others the entire time because there are always people in the lobby making stuff!

I went for the first time last year and I walked around with a smile on my face pretty much the entire week. I took a couple of embroidery classes and guess what - I now love embroidering. (This is easy to tell because there is now a little embroidery crafts section in our store.) I also took a wood burning class and almost bought a complete wood burning kit when I returned home but I refrained because I only have so much space. I learned to punch needle which I'm terrible at, but I can't wait to do it again! 

One of the classes I took was called "How to Teach your Craft". I was mildly interested in teaching, but I really had no idea where to start. People have asked me for years to teach jewelry classes but I've been resistant because like, I'm not a professional! Did you read that right? What even was this lie I was telling myself? How many years of jewelry making would qualify one as a professional, because at that time I had been doing it 17 years...? 

After taking so many classes at Craftcation from all different kinds of teachers, I realized the only thing that makes you a teacher is TEACHING. The end. When I left Craftcation last year filled with creative magic, I made it my goal to return the following year as a teacher. And guess what - I did! ✨✨ My lying inner voice can go take a hike, thank you very much.

I taught 2 classes to a total of almost 100 people at Craftcation 2025. One was a Wire Bow Necklace and the other was Hammered Hoop Earrings. On the morning of my first class, I woke up SO excited! I couldn't wait to teach. What an affirming moment - I knew that YES I made a good decision; I wasn't nervous at all!

And the actual teaching part? AMAZING. Loved it. Can't wait to do it again.

It was literally a dream vacation. I walked by the beach, took sketching and watercolor classes, ate lots of fish, and shopped. Ventura has a very big thrift store scene; I found some very cool vintage beads for a future jewelry collection.

I learned to knit! I'm really bad at it!

I walked by the beach, I drank pink lattes, mojitos, old fashioneds. I took a million pictures of California flowers and critters. Ground squirrels? What?? Adorable!! 

Plus, my sister came with me so we got to have some rare sister time! She likes to make quilts so she took some sewing classes, including one where she made a zipper pouch and one that taught basic garment construction.

If this sounds like something your creative soul craves, I highly recommend that you make it happen! Fill your crafty cup with a beautiful, life giving week. 

link: Craftcation Conference

Retailers! ⚡️

Valentine’s Day is like a wild rollercoaster ride, depending on where you are in life and how you feel about this holiday. Sure, it's pumped up with commercial hype, but hey, we support any reason to spread some love and cheer through heartfelt words and treats!

Whether you're cozying up with your partner, hanging out with your ride-or-die buddies, or making this day extra magical for your little ones, here's hoping these letter-writing prompts and tricks sprinkle a bit of joy and affection to your Valentine’s Day festivities. Let's spread that warm & fuzzy feeling without holding back! 💌

2. Write about something you like about them 

 

"I love your silly sense of humor. You always make me laugh."

"I love your ________ . You always make me______."

 

"You make the best chocolate chip cookies. Seriously."

" You make the best _____________________. Seriously."

 

"In case you need reminding, you are an amazing father."

" In case you need reminding, you are an amazing ______."

 

3. Write about a shared event that brought you closer.

 

"Remember when we ate hot chicken and then had to share a hotel bathroom? That is true love."

"Remember when we ______________ and then had to _______________? That is true love."

 

"One of my favorite memories of us is using our broken Italian to tell a waiter in Italy that the cheese was better than sex. LOL!!"

"One of my favorite memories of us is_____________"

 

"The memory of you crying at our wedding always makes my heart leap."

"The memory of _______________________ always makes my heart leap."

 

I hope some of these prompts get your creative juices flowing! If all else fails, a simple "I love you" always gets the job done. 

xo, Freshie

In case you hadn't noticed, we L O V E washi tape at Freshie & Zero. Not only is it cute, but it's extremely functional! And did we mention it's CUTE AF?! We get asked often what we do with the washi tape we're so obsessed with, so we figured we would share some of our favorite uses for it! 

It's our birthday!! As part of the festivities, I am answering 15 questions to celebrate 15 years of making jewelry! 

Question 2: Who is Zero?

Also known as "Which one of you is Zero?" - the most commonly asked question in our craft show tent. How many times did I have to fake a smile when asked that question? The world will never know.

Zero is my dog. Well he was my dog. He died a few years ago. He was a Jack Russel who was living life 110% until one day his age caught up with him overnight. I hear that's how Jack Russels are. 

He was a personality and a half. Totally neurotic and way too smart - he failed out of obedience training because he was too stubborn. He was sweet but a HANDFUL. I appreciated his big personality but sometimes I just wanted him to slow down and relax! 

 He was such a nut!

It's our birthday!! As part of the festivities, I am answering 15 questions to celebrate 15 years of making jewelry! 

Question 1: What was your earliest logo?

Let me begin by saying I designed it myself. Let me finish by saying I majored in graphic design for only one semester. It was - ahem - the 1990's; the minute we switched from hand-drawing graphic design to computer-only graphic design I changed my major to Studio Art. I did not want to be tied to a computer all day - lololololol.

I can’t find an actual image file because it was 15 years ago - when I still had a Dell, dude! Who even knows what program I used to design it! What design software was on PC computers 15 years ago?

You can see this early logo in all its glory on a banner from my very first craft show in Clarksville, TN in April 2006. 

It's a look.

Fun fact about my first show: the first day was 10 hours long and I sold one pair of earrings. All. Day. It was a rough start, but I was not deterred! I made those earring displays myself and adorned them with sushi grass. I felt so creative.

Listen, we all have to start somewhere.